


Strangest of Places

by TC_Stark



Series: The Strangest of Places [1]
Category: Daredevil (TV), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Defenders (Marvel TV)
Genre: AU, Consensual But Not Safe Or Sane, Drug Use, Erectile Dysfunction, Excessive sex, F/M, Frank has a hard time moving on, Mentions of Abortion, OC, Original Characters - Freeform, Sexually Transmitted Diseases, Slow Burn, Strong Language, Suicidal Thoughts, Unhealthy Relationships, Violence, spousal abuse
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-30
Updated: 2017-07-17
Packaged: 2018-09-03 08:31:20
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 13
Words: 27,267
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8705158
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TC_Stark/pseuds/TC_Stark
Summary: Set after the end of Daredevil Season 2, Frank Castle has an interaction with a young woman in an abusive relationship atop that rooftop; instead of the old man. The two continuously bump into each other, until it proves that both can be valuable to the other. Frank/OC - slow burn





	1. Chapter One

**Author's Note:**

> Once again using OC Lexi Sincerbeaux!

In the midst of their argument, Daredevil could hear someone coming. As he struggled against the chains the Punisher had put him in, the sound of heels clicking against metal stairs rang through his ears. They both heard it. The murderous vigilante didn’t need supersonic abilities to know that someone was about to join them and that it could possibly be the last moment in this person’s life.

 

What the Punisher couldn’t hear, was that it was a woman. Facing his captive, Daredevil pleaded, “It’s a woman. Don’t hurt her.”

 

“Let’s hope she doesn’t give me a reason to.” The Punisher warned, standing up and sticking his loaded gun in his pocket, just in case.

 

Walking over towards the door to the rooftop, Frank sighed. This was not what he wanted to be doing at this time. There was a mission. Daredevil, Grotto, and the Dogs of Hell factored into it. Not this. Sure, there was a risk when he had the Devil of Hell’s Kitchen tied to the rooftop that maybe tenants would hear them, but this was New York City. No one paid shit mind if it didn’t concern them directly.

 

The door finally opened and a woman stepped out. Frank took a moment to observe her and assess the situation. In her mid to late twenties, she would be short if it weren’t for the five inch heels she was wearing. It was a mild night, but she wore tight jeans and a gray turtleneck over her fit, hourglass body. Despite being petite in height and a tiny waist, she held herself like a bigger person.

 

Her hair was black and in a chin length bob style and her skin was tan and healthy. If Frank looked hard enough into her exotic facial features, he could have sworn he saw a bruised lip and a faded black eye. But, he wasn’t able to look much longer as the woman’s amber eyes stared at him long and hard, her grip on the doorknob tight.

 

Finally, her voice came out cool and calm, if not a bit sardonic, “If you’re going to commit suicide, do it somewhere else.”

 

Taken back by the comment, Frank cleared his throat and gave a dry laugh, “Not gonna do anything of the sort. Was just wanting a smoke.”

 

“You got an extra?” She asked, stepping fully out onto the roof and closing the door behind her.

 

Unsure of how to behave, Frank shifted for a moment and looked her up and down, “You live in this shithole?”

Producing a pack of cigarettes from his other pocket, he pulled the hammer back of the gun in his other while handing the pack to her. She took one out and pulled a lighter out from her back pocket, her nails acrylic but not long. Lighting her cigarette, she answered, “I own it.”

 

“You own a shithole.”

 

“I know, darling, so I have to ask what you’re doing up here.”

 

Putting a cigarette in his mouth, he waited for her to light it for him as he answered, “As I said, sweetheart, just having a smoke. Guess you’ll be joining me.”

 

While the two smoked, Daredevil could hear everything. He feared the Punisher would deem the woman a nuisance and get rid of her. He had even heard the hammer of his gun being pulled back and he tried to quietly pull at the chains, still not able to free himself. He didn’t want to make too much noise, but he had to get out of his restraints.

 

Blowing some smoke out, Lexi stuck her hand out, “I’m Lexi. We have about ten minutes before my husband comes to look for me.”

 

“Frank,” With a light chuckle, Frank commented, “You better get going then.”

 

“No, I’d rather be up here.” Lexi said cryptically, gazing over the edge of the roof, causing Frank to wonder if maybe she was the one who was wanting to jump off and kill herself.

 

Before Frank needed to wonder if he was gonna have to grab this woman so she wouldn’t do anything stupid, she turned her focus back on him, “So, what are you really doing up here, Frank?”

 

The silence between them lasted what felt like an eternity, as Frank reiterated, “Just smoking.”

 

A playful, almost devious smirk lifted Lexi’s lips, as she cooed, “I read the papers, Frank. They may not know who they man is, but there’s been some eye witnesses. Descriptions. A man who shot up a hospitals and viciously killed a few dozen members of different gangs. Did you know they’re calling you The Punisher?”

 

Being outed should have been reason for Frank to put a bullet in her brain, but in all honestly, she still hadn’t done anything wrong. If he started offing people for just knowing his face, he’d be no different than that dirtbag Grotto. It was a conundrum, though; knowing he couldn’t deny the accusation. It presented a problem.

 

Sighing deeply, Frank asked, “So, when do you start fucking screaming?”

 

“I’m not going to scream,” She commented, while taking a pull on her cigarette, “I was hoping you’d take care of my husband for me.”

 

After Frank asked why would he kill her husband, Lexi pulled down the collar of her turtleneck to show strangle marks. They looked fairly new; purple and deep. The black eye was fading though and her lip probably was a few days old. She was caught in an abusive relationship and it probably explained why the woman was flirting with the rooftop’s edge just before.

 

Nose scrunched, Frank looked off to the side and explained, “I was after someone else tonight, but I’ll get to him next.”

 

Frank’s attention immediately flipped when he heard the rustle of chains. The sound was loud enough to attract Lexi’s interest and it caused the Punisher to sigh and bow his head. Fucking Daredevil. He really couldn’t control himself, despite Frank having told him if he made noise that the woman would be dead.

 

Tossing the cigarette aside, Lexi placed her hands on her hips, “Get your hands out of your pockets. I know you have a gun there. Now show me who you have chained up. Who you’re distracting me from.”

 

Lexi wasn’t waiting for an answer, as she simply marched towards the sound. Frank could have stopped her, but instead groaned and followed her - where she saw exactly who he had. Daredevil was still fighting with his bounds, the woman blinking and almost seeming impressed, “Well, I wasn’t expecting this. Why do you have the Devil of Hell’s Kitchen? Aren’t you two technically on the same side?”

 

“Did he hurt you!?” Daredevil immediately demanded - desperation in his voice.

 

“Me? Oh, please, he’s a big teddy bear.” Lexi teased, waving the question off.

 

Eyebrows furrowed in, Frank grunted, “You barely know me.”

 

Sighing, Lexi asked, “Could you please let him go? My husband will be up here any minute because I’ve been gone too long. And let’s just say, he wouldn’t be too happy seeing me here with two men.”

 

“Leave him then.” Frank shrugged. He knew that inside he wanted the bastard dead. Didn’t matter that he didn’t know the woman - the bruises told him enough and no wife beater deserved to live. But, he had a direct mission that night and Lexi was fucking it up.

 

Lexi stood still for a minute. Frank didn’t know her. But, he was The Punisher. That was in his name. And the thought of walking back into her apartment to her abusive husband turned her stomach. No matter how long they had been together, no matter how much of a brave face she put on and no matter the situation, she got beat. It wasn’t like she ever cheated or ever gave him a reason to; she had just been some dumb twenty-year-old who married a possessive older man and didn’t see any of the signs until it was too late.

 

With a slight snort, Lexi nodded and raised her chin to speak to Frank, “I’m going to go now. You have five minutes to leave my roof before I call the cops.”

 

“What a fucking scornful bitch,” Frank cursed under his breath, as he grabbed Lexi and shoved her up against the siding and put his gun under her chin, “Don’t you fucking say a word.”

 

Daredevil fought harder against the chains, as Lexi’s eyes bore into Frank’s, “Do it. I’d rather be dead than going back to him. Did I mention my teeth are fake?”

 

They all heard the heavy boots stomping upstairs, Frank noticing Lexi’s body tensing and Daredevil hearing her heartbeat speeding up. The door busted open as a larger middle-aged men barked, “Lexi! Where the fuck are you! I’m fucking hungry, bitch,” before noticing the scene on the rooftop and gawking, “What the hell!? Get your hands off my wife!”

 

Lexi tried to flinch away in Frank’s hold, as the Punisher sighed, “You want him dead so badly?” Turning his gun, it took a simple pull of the trigger and the man was dead on the ground, with a bullet in his temple, “There.”

 

As Lexi just stared at the body, her husband of seven years, now dead, Daredevil slowly expressed, “Frank...you don’t even know if she was lying.”

 

“I saw the bruises,” Frank snorted, slowly letting her go, “Saw her wanting to jump off this roof. Listen,” He pointed at her, “You’re gonna go in your house. Watch some TV. Take a shit. Call the cops and tell them your husband hasn’t been back. That he was checking the roof, cause there was a noise complaint. Red and I will be long gone by then.”

 

Nodding in understanding, Lexi winked almost with a smirk and told him not to worry, “Hopefully, I see you again soon.”

  



	2. Chapter Two

Frank hated Oreos. 

 

They were only semi-decent when dunked in milk and why would he want something that is shit unless altered? Gnawing on these dry ass cookies, he remembered he was only putting up with this torture because they were his boy’s favorite. And today was Frank Jr.’s birthday. The Punisher hoped if there was a heaven, his son was eating all the oreos he could ever want. That made them taste a little better.

 

Bad thing about eating something that crumbled was that it meant all that shit was gonna get in his beard. It had been a while since that battle on the rooftop. Since the world thought Frank Castle was dead. He had to go along with it - disappear. But, there was no way he’d leave the city. There was too much work to be done.

 

So, Frank outgrew his hair and beard and dressed like a fucking bum - just to remain unseen. Truth was, this was New York. He could probably walk around and no one blink an eye. But, there were cops and he didn’t feel like dealing with any of that. So, like a fucking beat up Clark Kent, he hid in plain site. 

 

Heh, maybe he’ll go buy some fucking plums.

 

While tossing the wrapper to the cookie in the garbage, Frank can suddenly hear an almost familiar clicking behind him. While not having the abilities Red did, the Punisher was a Marine and his senses were pretty sharp. It was a sound he hadn’t heard in probably a year, but nonetheless he knew who it was.

 

“Frank fucking Castle - the man, the myth, the legend.” A cheeky voice called out behind him.

 

Spinning around, Frank is greeted by a grinning Lexi. The same woman who he had that encounter with a year ago, while he had Red chained up. The woman who begged for her husband to be killed, because he beat her so badly she wanted to die. And now she was the woman carelessly shouting his name in the middle of the street.

 

Before he could gauge his actions, Frank was yanking the woman into an ally and thrusting her up against the brick wall. She was looking better. More alive. Still the same, but she had an aura of confidence to her, as opposed to the dead cynicism that plagued her during their first meeting. And her outfit definitely exposed more skin - no bruises.

 

“It’s nice seeing you,” Lexi teased, “Love what you’ve done with the hair.”

 

Not amused, Frank gruffly demanded, “What the hell are you doing shouting my name in the middle of fucking Manhattan?”   
  


Waving him off, the widow shrugged, “It’s New York City, I could be sucking you off and no one would blink an eye.”

 

This was their second interaction and for some reason, Frank found the statement predictable coming from her. Letting her go, he took a moment to look her up and down and observe, “You look better.”

 

Shifting her already curvy hips to exaggerate one side, Lexi smirked, “I sold the apartments, got my husband’s life insurance, and now I own an art gallery. I’m doing pretty well for myself since last year.”

 

“That’s good to hear.” Frank commented, with somewhat sincerity. 

 

Silence then replaced witty banter. Lexi took a moment to pull out a cigarette from her expensive looking purse, as she observed him, “Are you eating? We can take a cab to my place. I can’t cook for shit, but I can order delivery.”

 

Confused, the vigilante asks, “Why’d you want the Punisher to come for dinner?”

 

“That was a bad joke,” Lexi snorted, “You saved my life. I just want to thank you. Besides, I don’t have friends beside my one night stands and I’m bored.”

 

Now it was his turn to snort and look away, “Yea, well I can’t get it up so don’t expect dick from me.”

 

“You’re so charming.”

* * *

 

 

Frank didn’t know why he allowed Lexi to cart him to her fancy fucking loft studio in the middle of SoHo. He had a shit shoebox that had bugs that he paid 400 a month for and a dog he needed to feed. But, it was Frank Jr.’s birthday and anything that reminded him that he was no longer a human being didn’t seem appealing. He was too tired.

 

Lexi appreciated that Frank doesn’t hit her with the  _ isn’t it too early to be drinking  _ question when she brings out a bottle of vodka, pouring them both a glass, “What do you want to eat?”

 

“You like dogs?” Frank asks, after a long time of looking around.

 

Confused by the question, the younger woman hands him a glass and responds, “Not particularly, why?”

 

“You let my dog and I stay here. That’s your payback for me killing your husband.”

 

Pausing mid-sip, Lexi looked at Frank skeptically before her amber eyes scanned the apartment around her. Frank was expecting her to say no. After all, who would want the Punisher living in their nice loft? There were more times than not that he came home with blood on his boots, but he really didn’t plan on letting her say no. He needed a new place to squat - somewhere that looked less suspicious.

 

With an eventual shrug, Lexi finished her sip and stated, “You’re in charge of your dog. The first time he craps on my floor, the two of you are on the street.”

 

Maybe there was something wrong with the woman that she barely even blinked when he claimed her apartment as his own. Or perhaps she was lonely. An abusive husband didn’t make for a good companion, but there weren’t any pictures of friends or loved ones. She had to rely on a vigilante to break her free from her hurtful bonds; perhaps unconventional friendship was what she was most comfortable with.

* * *

  
  


It took one trip to move into Lexi’s space. Everything Frank Castle owned in life took up one bag, except for his weapons. Those were kept in a locked storage unit under a fake name. He only kept a few guns and knives with him, but his main supply was earned when he killed Shoonover. Bastard. Guess everything from his former life needed to be tainted.

 

In the time it took for the Marine to grab his shit and come over, Lexi had a pull out bed installed in the downstairs corner of her loft. Bossman immediately ran towards his new home, as his pseudo landlord scrunched her nose up, “You got a thing against pitbulls?” Frank scoffed.

 

“You haven’t neutered him yet.” She stated matter-o-factly, sitting near the window to light a cigarette.

 

Glancing over, Frank shrugged and murmured something about not having time. While neatly putting his shit in an empty dresser - he was a Marine after all - the vigilante pulled out a book and plopped it onto the kitchen isle while straddling the seat, “Thought you couldn’t cook for shit - what’d you need such a fancy kitchen for?”

 

Lexi shrugged, “It looks nice. If I ever entertained, it’d be the talking piece of the night,” Looking over at him, she asked, “Did your wife cook often?”

 

That stung. Clutching the book, Frank paused before flipping to a clean page and grunting, “Don’t fucking bring her up.”

 

Talking about Maria and the kids with Karen Page had been easy, but he didn’t know Lexi like that. He also had a suspicion that she was a lot more dead on the inside than his former lawyer’s assistant was, and that this woman would say the wrong thing. Then he’d be forced to kill her and right now he didn’t want to do that.

 

Finally flicking her cigarette away, Lexi didn’t say a word and retreated upstairs where her walk in closet was. Frank didn’t bother disclosing his latest mission to her - she really had no business. Just because the people responsible for his family’s deaths were dead didn’t mean the punishment was going to stop. There were plenty of sickos out there that needed to be dealt with. And with his style of justice, not Daredevil’s.

 

After what seemed like an hour, Lexi came down from her bathroom to find Frank still scribbling shit down, while scratching his dog’s head. The sound of her five inch pumps caused the Punisher to turn his head, seeing the woman dressed in a form fitting red dress that ended about mid-thigh. His dick may not have worked since the tragedy, but she did have a good body. Her skin seemed more golden since he last saw her - he suspected perhaps being happier could do that.

 

“You expecting to get fucked wearing that?” Frank blurted out, not even sure why he said that.

 

Putting on diamond earrings, Lexi crossed one foot in front of the other as she reached to grab her purse, “As a matter of fact I am. Don’t wait up. Don’t bring anyone over to kill either.”

 

It was obvious that Lexi was one of those women who looked to take back their sexuality. Not that he cared. Though Maria and he were their firsts and only’s, Maria was a strong woman and through her he learned to never slut-shame a woman. If men could go out and look for sex, so could women. It was daft to think only the male gender liked fucking.

 

As she was about to walk away, Frank held up a hand, “Take protection.”

 

“I have condoms. Besides, I’m infertile.”

 

“There’s diseases,” He grunted, while pulling out a pocket knife and handing it to her, “And I meant something like this.”

 

With a playful smirk, Lexi leaned against the kitchen isle and slowly tucked the knife into her bra. Not that she needed it. Frank could already tell that her breasts her fake - not in a bad way. They weren’t exaggerated or ridiculously big, but even though she was most likely a large C or a small D cup, there was a difference between natural breasts and augmented ones. His guess was she was flat chested once upon a time. 

 

“I didn’t know the Punisher would care.” Lexi cooed teasingly, her shimmery lips curving upwards into a devious smirk.

 

Straightening up in the chair, Frank pointed to his book and explained, “I’m looking now for a man who is sodomizing women. And each one of them describe the man as  _ charming.  _ So, that’s why I’m telling you to take protection.”

 

The words were sinking in. Lexi understood. There was no bratty whining, no teasing, no bitterness. Whatever Frank was saying, the twenty-seven-year-old was taking it to heart. Perhaps she wasn’t used to having someone give her sincere advice without it feeling like control. Perhaps she was desperate for someone to show her a slight inkling of genuine human to human caring, but not in a possessive manner.

 

Taking his pen, Lexi wrote down a phone number on his page and sighed, “You can check up with me if you’d like. I never stay the night anyway.”

 

And with that, she was patting his hand and taking off. A woman he had only met twice and suddenly, she was just leaving him and his dog in her apartment while she went out to find sexual gratification. It was different from him and Maria’s slow dating. Movies. Dinner. The comfortability of their home, where they were the typical American family. People were different, or maybe the same. Frank could never tell anymore.

 

“Let’s have a beer, Bossman.” Frank grumbled, while helping himself to the fridge.


	3. Chapter Three

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lexi is not a Karen or a Maria. She's a little toxic. But, Frank's not a healthy man these days.

Frank didn’t say shit when Lexi trudged through the front door at six in the morning, almost immediately shedding her clothes to go into the shower. Naked women didn’t bother him. He’d seen Maria’s body nude a thousand times. Her nurturing, supple form burned into his memory, where only at night could he clearly see her.

 

The Punisher was amused, though; at Lexi’s obvious hangover and the way Bossman was barking and following her. Frank humorously eased his dog’s excitement and followed after his pseudo roommate - for some reason not caring about boundaries. If she had been comfortable enough to be naked around him, he supposed there wasn’t much harm in joining her in the bathroom.

 

Lexi was already basking in the comfortable of her shower, clouded glass covering her young, tight body, as Frank sat on the toilet after closing the lid. His chuckle made her groan, slicking her raven black hair back to let the water splash on her face. This was so unlike him, but it felt so natural at the same time.

 

“Thought you said you don’t stay the night.” He snickered.

 

Turning so the water was hitting her back, the tan woman groaned, “Unfortunately no dick last night, but I did befriend three drag queens who took me to an amazing rave. Have you ever taken Molly, Frank? I have to say, I’m not much of a fan of those psychoactive drugs, but I was in the right mood last night for it. Terrible crash though.”

 

It was at that that Frank frowned, leaning forward as he tilted his head to question, “You a big fan of drugs, Lexi?”

 

The tone in the man’s voice made it obvious to her that he didn’t approve, Lexi shifting to pull her shoulders back, “We all have our flaws. Our coping mechanisms.”

 

“What’d you have in the apartment?”

 

“A little bit of cocaine,” She answered, unashamed, “I was with my husband for a long time. I was twenty and I was dumb. I thought he was a nice older man and the fact that he seemed well off was appealing. I got caught up in being his trophy, but when you’re someone’s trophy you’re also their toy...I just did it to escape...and then to function. I’m twenty-seven now, I’m better.”

 

Truthfully, Frank didn’t judge her. Didn’t look down on her. Though drug dealers were under the category of people he killed, he found himself not angry with her. When they were teenagers, he and Maria tried pot a few times. But, it was something he stopped as soon as he made the decision to go into the military. As soon as he knew he wanted to marry the love of his life and have a family. A few beers with the buddies - whiskey on nights that it was hard. His brain was screwed up enough without adding anything to the mix.

 

The sound of the shower shutting off flickered dimly through his ears, Frank handing the younger woman a towel as he stood up to look at her once the glass door opened. She was a pretty woman, with a warm skin tone and an aura of someone who had grown up faster than she should have. He supposed they had that in common, considering he was forty and felt eighty.

 

“Where is it?” He finally asked.

 

Keenly laughing, Lexi wrapped the towel around her body. The showered refreshed the previously sluggish woman, tilting her chin up to protest, “You are in my home, Mr. Castle. You and your dog are staying here rent free and I am jeopardizing myself by having you here. So, don’t think you’re going to come in here and start running things. I told you, darling, I’m better now. I will never allow a man to have reign over me again.”

 

Frank nodded, sincerely, respectably. Holding his hands in front of him, he expressed, “That’s fair. It’s not my place to say what you can or cannot do. I fucking hang men from meat hooks - I have no room to stand. You should just know you don’t need that shit anymore. Your husband is gone.”

 

“Physically, yes,” Lexi walked pass him, rubbing the wetness off her body before heading to her coffee maker, “But, that doesn’t mean his presence isn’t still around,” Turning towards Frank, she carefully asked, “Don’t you feel your wife near you every second of every day?”

 

Frank wanted to feel anger. For some reason Lexi mentioning Maria set his blood to boil. It wasn’t like others hadn’t mentioned her before. Red’s first real interaction with him consisted of belittling his mourning for his lost ones - though, it was before The Devil of Hell’s Kitchen knew the whole story. Before they knew who each other really were. Neither Matt nor Karen nor Foggy’s mentioning of his wife angered him, but on the younger woman’s tongue...it sent him over the edge.

 

Keeping it together, Frank managed to croak out, “Not every second. I don’t want her there when I’m killing those men.”

 

Lexi didn’t respond to that. Instead, she continued to wait for her coffee pot to brew a fresh batch. She knew she needed a cigarette, but coffee seemed like more of a priority in that instant. Clearly, Frank would never be rid of his demons. It was powerful, to her; to be around someone who loved their spouse as much as he did. To mourn them as he did. It was something she felt envious of and grateful for not having that burden to deal with.

 

Handing him a cup when the coffee was ready, Frank murmured a simple, “Thank you, ma’am.”

 

“Ma’am?” Lexi quirked an eyebrow up, amused by the sentiment, “Never been called a  _ ma’am  _ before. I don’t have any grey hairs do I?”

 

Frank chuckled dryly, fixing his dog some breakfast while surprisingly joking, “Just had to remind myself you’re actually a lady.”

 

“Ha ha. Asshole.”

* * *

 

“So, does your dick really not work?” Lexi thought that question was perfectly acceptable to ask, while she and Frank shared an order of greasy Chinese food from nearby.

 

“Really?” 

 

With a simple shrug, the widow grabbed a dumpling to pop in her mouth and elaborate, “It was a just a question.”

 

Frank shook his head and rolled his eyes - she was already a massive pain in the ass, “If this is your way of asking me to fuck, you can stop. Haven’t been with anyone since Maria and it’s staying like that.”

 

“Like I would want to be with a man who thinks the missionary position is  _ fun _ .” Lexi rolled her eyes, while taking a sip from her wine glass.

 

If there was one thing the Marine had learned about his roommate, was that she was blunt and unpredictable. Lexi was a fine, classy woman who liked to be regal when it got her what she wanted. But, in reality she was unfiltered, excessive, and without boundaries. Never having a positive relationship in her life probably didn’t help at all; he suspected that she grew up in a household where at least one parent showed her that feelings like love didn’t exist.

 

“Where are you from? I know it’s not New York.” God, he was sounding like Red.

 

Another sip of wine, “Miami. I met my husband there. I was out, slipping into places I shouldn’t have been. Pretended to be older. My mother taught me that trick. She wanted me to marry rich, which I did. Then we moved here and I saw what marrying someone for money really means...sacrifice.”

 

“Your mother sounds like she didn’t give the best advice.”

 

“She didn’t,” Lexi shrugged, “My fault for trusting a woman so scorned from being left by her own husband.”

 

_ Shit.  _ Frank found himself thinking, while gulping down his own beer. They finished their meals and he took out his laptop, determined to finish the mission he had started. Lexi was too busy looking down at the sleeping pitbull, pointing out, “You should let me get him neutered.”

 

“You wanna be my sugar daddy, go ahead.” Frank responded flatly, distracted by his screen.

 

Snickering. Frank heard Lexi snickering, but paid it no mind. There was still an asshole tricking women into thinking he was some charming son of a bitch and then sodomizing them. What was even worse was that he was spreading diseases - never using a condom and now these victims had a daily reminder of this predator. 

 

Luckily, Frank had hacked the police system and saw who they believed to be the attacker. They just hadn’t found him yet. Dale Dumond. Wherever this son of a bitch was, the Punisher was gonna find him. No way this asshole deserved to be in jail. Get three meals a day, work out. Talk to other inmates. The only home he was going to get would be in the bottom of the Hudson River.

 

“Why are you looking at a photo of Dale?” Lexi asked, suddenly standing behind Frank with a wine glass in her hand.

 

Looking over his shoulder, the vigilante demanded, “You know this asshole? You ever sleep with him?”

 

Lexi shook her head, “Dale has Hepatitis. Not that people with STDs shouldn’t find someone, but Dale brags about not liking condoms and not caring about the consequences. You don’t want to sleep with someone that irresponsible about safe sex. He sold me coke once or twice, until I started going to someone else less sleazy.” 

 

“You know where he likes to hang out?”

* * *

 

“If you weren’t the Punisher, I’d say to go to the hospital to get stitches.”   
  


Frank had found Dale. Put a bullet through his head. It had been easy. What hadn’t been easy were the men who pummeled him afterwards, apparently upset that their shitbag friend was dead. They were dealt with as well, but not before one had slashed a nasty cut down the side of his neck. He’d manage to press a piece of his shirt against it and stop the bleeding, but it would definitely need stitches.

 

Standing in Lexi’s main level bathroom, cleaning his wounds, and looking at the woman through the mirror, “Yea that’s not gonna happen.”

 

“I could stitch it for you,” Lexi received an odd look from the beat up man, shrugging, “I had to a few times when I was tired of receiving sympathetic looks from nurses.”

 

Knowing she was referring to her deceased husband, Frank decided not to argue and sat down on the edge of the bathtub. He already had his supplies laid out to do the job himself, Lexi acquainted with the tools. For a moment, he was lost inside his head. He thought of Maria and how much he loved her. And how he could never, ever lay a hand on her. It didn’t matter how badly they had argued when they did. It didn’t matter what words were said - nothing ever made him want to cause her harm.

 

The tugging and pulling of being stitched up didn’t bother Frank, instead hearing Lexi bemusedly snort, “What?”

 

“You got one ugly looking mug.” She teased at his purple and bloody face.

 

“Yea, yea, eat your heart out.” Frank responded sarcastically, receiving another snicker from the other person.

 

Once Frank was stitched up, the two of them retired to the living room area of the loft while Lexi retrieved him a glass of whiskey. Nodding, he took a small sip before gruffly expressing, “Thanks. For this...and this.”

 

A welcoming smile crossed Lexi lips, as she sat adjacent Frank in a large armchair. Tucking her legs under her plump bottom, she rested her temple against her fist. She had average sized hands. Not too small and not too large for a woman of her height and build. They always had acrylic tips, again not too long and not too short. She was everything physically that made up a materialistic woman, but there was more than a superficial facade to her. What a complex creature.

 

“Would you say we’re friends?” Lexi asked simply, morbid curiosity inspiring her.

 

The question confused Frank. Who would want to be friends with the Punisher? Was he even capable of that? Years in the Marines, every dead body, his family in the ground - it molded him into a machine. It was almost irritating when people insisted on making him human, when they had spent years trying to make him a monster. How could they expect him to be just a man after he’d already taken an oath to be a weapon?

 

Slowly swishing the whiskey, Frank carelessly shrugged, “I don’t have friends...but, I guess you’re alright in my book.”

 

Snorting with a smirk on her face, Lexi teased, “You’re such a poet, Frank.”


	4. Chapter Four

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: Mentions of drug use, STDs, and other adult themes below

The first time Frank had seen Lexi do coke was after a long night of partying and drinking. She’d forgotten she had a huge meeting at her gallery that morning. She’d gotten home too late for any decent sleep and didn’t want to meet with prospective buyers while being hungover. Just a small snort and she’d seemingly come back to life. It was almost impressive - seeing her decked out in a killer long sleeved black dress and silver high heels. She looked like she was ready to kill someone with her stiletto.

 

There was another time that the two had taken Bossman to the park. It was disturbingly domestic, if it weren’t for the white powder he’d find on her nose. Lexi had waved his concerns off, lighting a cigarette and criticizing him for looking like a bum. Deflecting was apparently her favorite thing to do.

 

The summer had begun and Lexi had texted Frank while he was out on a mission that she was bringing Bossman to Coney Island. For someone who claimed to not like dogs, she was almost smug that the big boy almost seemed to favor her over his true owner. Maybe she just liked the look of walking the beach in shorts and a bikini top, while grasping the leash of a large pitbull. It was the only time he’d seen her wear sneakers - designer brand of course.

 

Coming home, Frank was greeted by a scene he had not been expecting. Bossman immediately ran up to him, whining as he heard a male voice grunt, “Shut that bitch up!”

 

“Don’t yell at the fucking dog!” Lexi yelled back, though her words came out more in a strained struggle.

 

As Frank stepped further into the loft, he could see plain as day Lexi bent over the kitchen isle with a man he’d never met plunging deep and hard into her. It took a split second to see the coke spread out next to them, concluding she’d pick this guy and sniffed the drug before starting to fuck. 

 

Tossing his keys loudly onto a nearby table, both Lexi and her companion stopped as the man pulled out of her ass and shouted, “Holy fuck, it’s the Punisher!”

 

And that’s when he saw it. Like a light going on, Frank’s senses were immediately heightened and his reaction quick. Seeing the man pulling a gun out of his pants, he never got a chance to shoot it before being knocked to the ground. The weapon was apprehended and he shoved the barrel to the guy’s temple, growling that he’d been so easily recognized despite his bushy appearance.

 

Pupils dilated, Lexi scolded, “Don’t fucking shoot him in my apartment!”

 

Both men looked at the coke addict wildly, before the stranger choked out a laugh, “Man, I know so many people who are gonna be happy knowing where the Punisher liv-”

 

And just like that, Frank’s adrenaline was pumping and his hands shot out. Lexi had only a fraction of a second to turn her head, but it didn’t stop the sound of the man’s neck snapping from entering her ears. Somehow it was worse than seeing her husband shot dead. That was satisfying. This was cringeworthy.

 

Carelessly letting the now dead man’s head go, Frank panted hard up at Lexi. She hadn’t any time to register what was going on before he was on her, pinning her to the counter with his hand hard on her throat. Everything was pulsing and mad for him, red washing over his vision as he barely paid attention to her bare chest staring up at him.

 

“What was that, huh? What the fuck was that? You leading people here to kill me?” Frank snarled viciously, shaking his grip on her neck.

 

Almost seemingly calm, Lexi shook her head, “I didn’t know. He was just some guy I met at Coney Island. We had a few drinks, made out. He said he’d fuck me in the ass if he could, so I took him back here for a line and anal.”

 

Frank didn’t need abilities like Red to know that Lexi was being if anything, too honest in her answer. Angered, the larger man roughly pushed off of her and shook his head, “What the fuck is wrong with you? Inviting a stranger back - fucking bareback. That asshole had a gun. He wasn’t a good man,” Hands on his hips, he paced slightly before declaring, “You’re stopping this shit. No more coke. No more Johns. You’re getting tested and you’re going to show up at your own goddamn business on time.”

 

“You can’t tell me what to do-”

 

“I am!” Frank shouted, “Because clearly you stopped taking care of yourself so I apparently gotta...I…” Realizing he was going to say something along the side of  _ babying  _ Lexi, the guarded man swallowed thickly and pulled away. While being younger than him, he never thought of his roommate as a child. And he had never had to scold Lisa like this, but somehow almost saying the word had caused him to freeze up.

 

Sensing a chord had been struck, Lexi walked over to her couch where a silk robe was thrown on and slipped into it. She tied the item around her and wordlessly petted the upset dog. Frank didn’t say another word to her - he just dragged the man out. He had also flushed her coke stash down the toilet, all without speaking to her.

* * *

 

Frank had been adamant about Lexi getting tested. They still weren’t speaking much, but he had drove her to a Planned Parenthood facility and waited in the car. He even drove her to a pharmacy a week later when the results came back that she had contracted gonorrhea. She didn’t need any lecture as to being careful or that it could have been worse - the Punisher felt her drug problem needed more attention.

A week had gone by and Lexi was STD free. She had been in the kitchen reading a newspaper, when Frank had walked in. It’d been a few days since he’d come back. Whether he didn’t want to be around her or he was busying himself with criminals - it’d just been her and the pitbull either way.

 

In total it had been two weeks since Lexi had taken her last sniff of cocaine. In a way she was lucky that her addiction consisted of the white powder - there were no physical symptoms of withdrawal. Unlike quitting alcohol or other substances - she wasn’t vomiting or shaking. Rather, her punishment was constant fatigue and a lack of interest to do anything. Admittedly, she was hating Frank a little for this.

 

Folding her paper back up, Lexi looked him up and down and commented, “You look like shit.”

 

“You’re one bitter bitch, you know that?” Frank snorted, while walking to the fridge to pull out a thing of orange juice.

 

When Lexi went to leave the kitchen area, Frank gently grabbed a hold of her arm and pulled her back to look at him. She’d gotten plenty used to the older man’s face decorated with different stages of bruising. In a way she wondered if the husband allowed himself to get hit, so that when he looked in the mirror he didn’t see the father and devoted family man he used to be.

 

Frowning deeply, Lexi finally sighed and looked away, “I don’t mean to behave this way - I wasn’t aware that I was someone with an actual drug problem.”

 

“No one ever is,” He responded, letting go and scratching at his beard, “Was thinking about getting rid of this. You wanna have the honor?”

 

A slow smirk tugged at her full lips, Lexi purring almost seductively, “Don’t be surprised if I nick you a few times.”

 

Rolling his eyes, Frank made his way to the bathroom with his... _ friend  _ in tow. With military precision, the man set out his tools for her and took a seat on the closed toilet bowl. He didn’t know why he wanted to help Lexi - at this point she was a lot to handle. But, he supposed so was he and she hadn’t ever done him wrong - she was just a little messed up.

 

As Lexi began working on his beard, Frank had a morbid thought running through his head. It was something that his brain did a lot - envisioning people dead. Almost everyone he met, their lifeless corpses always appeared before his vision. Red, Karen, hell even Foggy - all dead in his mind. Perhaps it was a result of a bullet being lodged in his dome. Maybe it was all the murder surrounding him, but he noticed that whenever he got slightly close to someone - he imagined them dying.

 

Inspecting the man in front of her, Lexi asked, “What are you thinking about?”

 

And just like that, he blurted out, “I was imagining you dead.”

 

“Was I at least able to have an open casket?” She asked without skipping a beat; confirming to Frank that Lexi really was dead on the inside.

 

Not saying anything at first, Frank shaped his fingers into a gun and gently pointed it to her temple while observing, “Beautiful.”

 

Lexi smirked. She actually fucking smirked, while running her hand over his now clean shaven jaw, “You’ve got a cryptic sense of humor, Frank Castle. Wanna make out?”

 

Grunting, Frank rolled his eyes as Lexi’s snickering and got up, wiping away any hair that had fallen, “Now who’s the comedian?”


	5. Chapter Five

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For anyone not familiar with it, El Museo Del Barrio is a real museum in Manhattan.

As the owner of an art gallery, Lexi appreciated art. Though never talented herself - she saw the beauty in all different pieces. Enjoyed the language of an exhibit, as well as the business of it. Real estate had been her deceased husband’s way of making money, but it was nothing the widow ever liked. Any proposal of wanting to open a gallery had been shut down in the past and it felt ever more like a victory to use his money to pursue her own choice in career.

 

Deciding to step out of lower Manhattan, Lexi traveled to upper Fifth Ave to  _ El Museo Del Barrio  _ \- a museum focusing on Latin American and Caribbean art. From what she knew about her family, her mother’s family was from Greece and her father had French ancestry. Not that any of that really mattered - her mother couldn’t cook, her dad left when she was young, and her culture was Miami. 

 

Still, Lexi had traveled when married. If there was one positive to being with her husband, was that he took her everywhere. Not due to a romantic nature, but the need to always have his eyes on her. There was no way he’d let her stay at home - where he couldn’t control her. Where she could be around other men; despite having never cheated.

 

Once they went to Greece. Italy. Spain. England. Japan once. Lexi had to beg him to take her to Puerto Rico, St. Martin, and Hawaii. He wasn’t much of a beach person and she knew her being in a bikini bothered Eddie. Being quite a bit younger than her spouse and with a great body, he always thought men were lusting after her. And in his mind, she was tempting them. When in reality, she simply loved sitting on a beach and soaking in the sun.

 

Standing in the middle of the museum in a pair of tight jean capris, high heels, and a black silk halter top, Lexi observed a painting while another figure stepped into her peripheral. Turning her head, the widow saw an attractive Hispanic woman dressed more casual than she, but still showing a nice figure.

 

“Did you know they sell beer at the cafeteria here?” The mystery woman asked, turning towards Lexi and smirking, “Wine too?”

 

A small smirk formed on her lips, while turning towards the other woman, “Mmm I did not, but now I know what  _ exhibit  _ I’ll be visiting next.”

 

Chuckling lightly, she stuck her hand out and introduced, “Claire Temple.”

 

“Lexi Sincerbeaux,” Lexi responded, raising a thin eyebrow, “I think I know you. By name only - a...friend talks about you. Well, how you help a friend of his.”

 

It was at that that Claire’s face dropped and her eyes looked around, seeing that no one was around. Arms then folded, her chin lifted and she asked, “Which friend?”

 

Leaning against the wall, she slyly grinned and placed a hand on her hip, “How many special friends do you have?”

 

“Enough that if you’re here trying to get information out of them - they’d come and kick your ass right now.” Claire hissed.

 

Lexi laughed, “Darling, I’m not threatening you. Just being playful - I’ve been known to get on people’s nerves. I meant your lawyer friend. The blind one. You help him often or so I’ve heard. I haven’t met him many times, but my friend often has run ins with him. He calls Matt a pain in the ass, but I know he likes him.”

 

“Is your friend Foggy?”

 

“I don’t know who that is...oh! Matt’s old partner at his law firm? I’ve heard of their falling out. Anyway, may I buy you a beer? I feel terrible over our little misunderstanding just now.” Lexi offered.

 

A moment passed and Claire smirked, nodding that she would like that. The museum wasn’t big and it didn’t take them long to arrive at the cafeteria. The beer for her and wine for Lexi were expensive, but money was no object when you were making amends. Besides, if not for business lunches, the art gallery owner wouldn’t really have anyone to go out with. No female friends certainly.

 

Taking a sip of the wine, Lexi mused, “So, Matt Murdock. Who else do you know? You seem to have a plethora of  _ gifted  _ friends.”

 

Slowly licking her lips, Claire countered, “You said your friend knew Matt. Who are you talking about?”

 

“Oh, darling.”

 

The two women laughed at each other, the former nurse shrugging and simply stating, “I think it’s only fair if we exchanged names. If not, we shouldn’t say them at all.”

 

“Agreed,” Lexi nodded, raising her glass to her newfound friend, “Let’s spend the rest of our  _ date  _ drinking then?”

* * *

 

Claire and Lexi spent an hour about in the cafe of  _ El Museo Del Barrio,  _ drinking and not telling each other about the vigilantes they knew. It may have been out in the open that they knew Daredevil, but both seemed to be loyal about the identities of anyone else. Though not involved romantically, Lexi would never admit knowing Frank. Not only because it was imperative no one knew where he was - everyone thought he was dead. And Claire would never come out that she was dating Luke Cage - given the recent discovery of his real name: Carl Lucas.

 

“What’s your real name?” Frank asked Lexi once she walked through the door; he was polishing a small pistol that she’d never seen before. Not that she exactly knew of all his weapons. The Punisher was always rotating artillery; either by raids or taking them from the criminals he killed.

 

“Lexi Sincerbeaux?” She questioned, placing her purse down and walking to fetch a bottle of white wine from the fridge.

 

Putting the Glock 43 back together, Frank sat back and pointed out, “Lexi doesn’t seem like a credible name. Thought since we’re living together, you could tell me.”

 

Silence. Frank turned to see Lexi pouring herself a glass and simply staring back at him. Her eyes were almost dull and the former Marine had a feeling he may have struck a chord. Working his jaw, he set the pistol down and stood up from the couch. Bossman was sleeping - he’d taken him out for a walk earlier albeit the risks. Apparently, people really didn’t care who he was. There were a few strange looks, but he figured no one would believe they were seeing Frank Castle walking a pitbull around.

 

“Did he used to call you by it?” Frank finally asked.

 

Taking a small sip, Lexi sighed gently, “Alexa. My real name is Alexa, but I have always preferred Lexi. Eddie preferred Alexa when wanting to be very stern with me. I’m not bitter and I’m not going to have any flashbacks if you call me it, I just don’t like the name. You know Frank Castle sounds fake as well, right?”

 

“Francis Castiglione,” Frank immediately spoke, “My birth name. I changed it legally before I enlisted. After I almost became a priest.”

 

“A priest?”

 

“Deacon technically. I was already married to Maria. Deacons can be married in the Catholic church if they’re already married prior to joining,” Frank casually explained, reaching into the fridge to pull out a beer, “I quit before I could become one though; turns out I had a real problem with forgiving everyone. Letting murderers and rapists off the hook didn’t sit well with me. So, instead I joined the Marines...I think Maria would have rathered me become a Deacon. She was glad about the name change though.”

 

Lexi simply listened to what the man was telling her - taking it all in. She wondered if Frank thought joining the Marines was a mistake. In the end, Maria and his children were killed as a result of a conflict between him and his superior. If he had gone off, become a Deacon - perhaps think would have been a lot different.

 

“I’m glad you didn’t become a Deacon.” Lexi voiced.

 

“Yea, why’s that?”

 

“Because you would have been much less attractive.” Lexi teased, a playful smirk on her lips.

 

Frank finally broke into a small chortle, shaking his head and pinching her side as he walked by her, “You’re nuts, you know that?” He then beckoned her over to the coffee table and pointed to what he was working on, “Wanna show you something.”

 

Lexi had never really been around firearms. Seeing so many displayed in front of her should have been a shock, but she felt nothing. As if she were seeing another piece of furniture in her apartment. After years of beatings and now seeing two men killed in front of her, she supposed she’d become numb to a lot.

 

A wine glass was replaced with the Glock 43, Frank placing both of their drinks down as he referred to the gun, “I want you to have this.”

 

“Why?”

 

Rather than answering immediately, Frank adjusted her hand to better grip onto the firearm and explained, “I’ll show you how to use it. How to load it. The safety - all that shit. You can fucking bedazzle it if you want. But, I want you to have this. I ain’t always gonna be around and we live in a city that shits on everyone. Everyone thinks I’m dead, but there’s only a matter of time before that illusion stops and if someone comes for you, I want you to defend yourself.”

 

Observing the firearm in her hand, Lexi pondered the scenario in her head. Looking up to Frank, she asked, “Why can’t I rely on you? Do you not want that?”

 

“I don’t want the day to come where I can’t be there for you. You’re a strong woman, Lexi, you get a lot of shit accomplished. You gotta sharp tongue, but confidence and strong self-esteem isn’t gonna protect you from some asshole robbing you in an alleyway. Or some dick biker trying to kidnap you cause he heard you hang out with the Punisher.”

 

Lexi nodded slowly as she in turn handed the gun back to Frank and stated, “If that makes you feel better, show me everything.”

 

Both sat down, Lexi lighting a cigarette. Frank hardly noticed himself plucking it out of her fingers to take a pull, before handing it back. Thankfully, his  _ friend _ didn’t make a big deal out of it. Instead, the military man went to dismantle the firearm so he could show her the insides and outs of her weapon.

 

Pausing, Frank worked his jaw and found himself saying, “You know...Maria...she knew about all this stuff. Her father was a hunter. She was used to rifles and...deer heads in the house,” He laughed, “Kind of even freaked me out when we first started dating. I knew though...when we had kids, didn’t want the house looking like an armory. Kept a few shit hidden, but that was it...I wanted my home to be a home. I didn’t...I was Frank Castle. A Marine. I’m the Punisher now...guess I just wanted to say it out loud...without shouting it in the middle of a courtroom.”

 

“Being the Punisher isn’t a bad thing. You joined the Marines for the same purposes you did when you became the Punisher. You sacrifice yourself to make others safe. You deliver justice in a way that makes people feel safe, but they don’t wish to condone it because it would make them look bad. It’s easier for them to be appalled and horrified over what you do; but, no one dislikes a criminal being the one shitting their pants for once.”

 

Lexi’s voice soothingly affirmed Frank’s philosophy, somehow making him breathed a little less rigged. With a hard swallow, the man nodded before having to break the tension, “When’d you become so insightful?”

 

“I have my moments,” She snickered, “Do you know a Claire Temple?”

 

“Yea, she’s Red’s nurse friend. The one who patches him up every time he goes off to be the hero.”

 

Tucking her legs under her bottom, the younger woman teased, “So what’s your excuse then?”

 

“Ha-ha. Why do you ask about her?”

 

Lexi shrugged, as Bossman trotted over to lick at her hand, “I ran into her at a museum today. We had a lovely conversation and drank together. I like her. She understood perfectly when I discussed that I knew of Matt Murdock because of my  _ friend.  _ I guess she has someone too. Are her and Murdock involved? He is one good looking man.”

 

Purposely moaning out the lawyer’s name, Lexi snickered when Frank pinched her and he leaned back into the couch to explain, “Nah - she’s with Luke Cage.”

 

The thing with their friendship, was that Frank didn’t hold back from Lexi. For some reason, he knew she wouldn’t repeat anything. He trusted her with being discreet about his existence. But, at the same time he didn’t care to keep those secrets about others to her. She knew it was because he felt that none of these vigilantes should hide their identities - they did what they did because they had to.

 

“Isn’t Luke Cage the bulletproof man in Harlem?” She asked, following up with a Cheshire grin, “Ooh, now I am all sorts of jealous of Claire.”

 

“Can you keep it in your pants?”

 

Reaching up, Lexi rubbed her thumb against Frank’s cheek and pouted, “You’ve kept me a very lonely girl, Frank Castle. You know what they say - idle hands and all.”

 

Nostrils flaring slightly, Frank took a hold of Lexi’s hand and moved it to his crotch. Her nice, lean fingers were rubbed up and down against the fabric of his pants. And when he made sure to curl her fingers over his groin area, she knew where he was going with this. Because, she felt nothing. And that was the point he was trying to make.

 

“I told you it didn’t work. Emotional shit and all,” Frank finally let go of her hand, looking off to the side, “Listen, Lexi, I do consider you...a friend. I put up with a lot of your shit and you put up with a lot of mine. I don’t know why I cared about getting you clean, but I did. And I care about you being safe. Sometimes, you’re a real fucking bitch...but, you’re my bitch. But, I can’t be what you want. I can’t. My...my wife...my wife was taken from me, you understand that? I...I would be with her to this day and you would never exist in my life...you feel me? How...how could you want that from me?”

 

The break in his voice was unmistakable, but Lexi reached out and gently took a hold of his hand, reassuring, “I would never take you away from Maria. I would never try. I know you and I would never know each other if your family was still alive. I know I would most likely be dead because I’d have never left my husband. And that’s okay. I live in this alternate universe, where everything that’s happening is a result of some fucked up joke. I haven’t been well for some time, Frank. All I know are sexual innuendos - ignore me.”

 

Frank knew it was a lie. Lexi was developing feelings for him. They were plain as day. That was how well he knew her; he knew when she was lying. Part of him though appreciated the gesture. Appreciated she knew his fragile psyche enough to not push for anything. The widow had a feeling either she was gonna be the death of him or the other way around.

 

Adam’s apple bobbing, Frank cleared his throat and asked, “Can I show you how to use the gun now?”

 

Nodding, Lexi smiled, “Sure.”


	6. Chapter Six

“Why don’t you just go down there and talk to her, Red?”

 

Finding Daredevil perched up on some rooftop, usually in the same vicinity as Karen Page; was a common occurrence for Frank. Their methods were different, but the Punisher admittedly had grown a level of respect for the blind vigilante. After all, despite being a giant pain in the ass; he wasn’t a bad guy. And after Elektra had been killed, they both had lost the women they loved most in the world.

 

That wasn’t to say Matt didn’t love Karen. Elektra may have been his first love and great in the throws of passion, but Ms. Page was a forever kind of love. Frank didn’t think Murdock realized that his former assistant and girlfriend was stronger than she looked. The woman was no delicate flower, but she should live within the world the lawyer wanted in. With his assassin lover, there was no stability. And as much as the Devil of Hell’s Kitchen tried to push people away - he yearned for both lives.

 

Not bothering to turn to face the Punisher, Daredevil continued to listen to Karen’s heartbeat, “You know I can’t do that, Frank.”

 

“Bullshit, you can’t,” Frank’s gruff voice rolled off his tongue, as he went to casually stand next to Daredevil, “It’s been a year. You don’t got a job. You reek of booze. Your best friend works at some bitchy law firm with a crooked boss and you can’t even meet with the woman you love, despite dropping the Daredevil bomb on her. They still meet every Tuesday night, but I’m sure you knew that.”

 

“I’m just living your life, Frank, keeping people away.”

 

“Yea, except I lost everyone who I loved. You didn’t. You pushed them away. That chubby lawyer was your best friend. He had to pick up the fucking slack for your ass back during my trial. And then the way you dicked around Ms. Page with your ninja girlfriend. S’not right, Red, you know it. You don’t have any excuses for pushing everyone away from you. Your family didn’t die.” Frank more so stated than anything else, having come to the point where he could almost talk about things without feeling a hitch in his throat.

 

Working his jaw, Matt pulled his attention away from Karen and retorted, “You smell like woman’s body wash, Frank. Maybe there’s a new woman in your life.”

 

Face falling, Frank’s nostrils flared as he warned, “Don’t get cute, Red.”

 

“Sorry,” Matt almost said sincerely, “People are talking. The community. Said some woman walks your dog around sometimes. And Claire told Luke about meeting a woman at a museum who had the same description as that woman on the rooftop that night. The one who you shot her husband. Also, I hear you sometimes - you’re in a new building in SoHo, which we both know you can’t afford.”

 

Frank snorted, “ _ Community?  _ Your little Justice League or some shit? Oh yea - the papers named you  _ The Defenders.  _ They gotta come up with new fucking names for people. Guess I can’t be mad though at you spying on me - considering I’m doing the same thing.”

 

“You’re so sweet on me, Frank.” Matt teased.

 

To which, the other man scoffed, “Don’t make me reject another person this week. Listen, who I decide to have as a companion or whatever is my business. But, I’m tired of your angst ridden ass mopping around the city. And I’m tired of hearing how depressed your friends are. You know my friend and your friend have done business - him being a lawyer and her having her own business. Fucking pick up a phone for Christ’s sake.”

 

As Frank turned to leave Matt with his thoughts, he heard Daredevil call out to him, “I’ll do that, when you admit to yourself that you like that woman more than you want to believe.”

* * *

 

“Did you actually make something?” Frank asked, as he walked through the door to find Lexi actually standing over her stove.

 

Stirring the pot, Lexi shrugged, “If you mean did I open a can of Campbell’s and pour it in this pot to reheat it, then yes. I cooked something.”

 

One of these days, Frank was going to roll his eyes so hard from some shit Lexi said that his eyes were gonna get stuck like that. Sitting down, the Marine scratched at the stubble on his beard and asked something he knew he was probably going to regret, “Wanna go out somewhere?”

 

“Where would we go? You’re dead remember?”

 

“Yea, well that’s the good thing about being dead. No one would expect to just see the Punisher,” Frank explained, looking down at his hands, “There’s this shithole in Hell’s Kitchen. Called Josie’s. Crowded, lowlife. No one would even know we existed and I doubt the owner would even fucking care.”

 

“Sounds like a peach.”

* * *

 

Karen and Foggy didn’t go to Josie’s anymore. Frank figured, there were probably too many good memories that would be too painful for the both of them. It was like when he had to blow up his own house. There was no way he could have a symbol of everything good he’d once have - and now was gone - still standing. Figuratively, the two former colleagues had to move on. There wouldn’t be anymore good times there with Matt, and so they needed another watering hole to call their own.

 

That was a good thing for Frank. Still summer, Lexi looked over at her friend and asked, “Do you ever not wear that leather jacket? It’s a hundred degrees in here.”

 

“Yea, yea, yea, go get a table of something - I’ll get the drinks.”

 

Lexi enjoyed busting Frank’s balls; finding a small high table with two seats to perch on. It was amazing how really, no one blinked an eye with The Punisher himself being out and about. New Yorkers were really something else, the Floridian mused as a glass of vodka was put down in front of her. No ice. She surmised this was probably an establishment that you didn’t want to drink the water out of.

 

Clinking their glasses together, Lexi took a gulp of her alcoholic beverage before examining the drink more closely, “You know, there were times I’d be drinking Kettle One martinis at establishments where the drink itself cost more than an appetizer. Now, I’m drinking Georgi out of a glass that doesn’t look like it’s been cleaned...ever.”

 

“Only the best with me, huh?” Frank snickered, taking a sip of his own glass of whiskey.

 

Crossing her legs, Lexi observed the space and shrugged, “Reminds me of the bars I used to sneak into when I was underaged. Did you ever do anything naughty like that, Frank?”

 

Trying to remember, Frank shook his head and broke out into a dumb smile, “One of my buddies in high school gave me a mug of orange juice - said vodka was in it. Acted like I was so cool because I was able to chug it and not gag. And then I bragged my tolerance was so high because I did feel a thing. There was nothing in there, but juice.”

 

Hearing the story, Lexi cracked up and placed a hand over her mouth to contain her laughter. Frank just shook his head at himself, almost dipping his head down in embarrassment. It was such a normal story and people had to remember that once upon a time, Frank Castle was a normal man.

 

“Alright, alright, enough laughing,” Frank waved her off, gulping down his whiskey, “Go on, sugar momma, get me another drink.”

 

They both laughed at that, Lexi kicking her drink back before getting up. Only when she returned, she was carrying a small tray of six shots. Holding his head, the Punisher groaned, “What are we, fratboys in college?”

 

“I never went to college so I wouldn’t know,” Lexi shrugged, pushing three glasses towards him, “Loosen up a little, Frank.”

* * *

  
  


After the shots, Frank and Lexi ordered two more rounds of drinks before the flashy woman insisted they get Halal food. Normally, the vigilante’s companion had expensive tastes in cuisine. But, no one was ever craving salads or salmon tartare when drunk. Even if you were for clean eating, you wanted some streetcar food when you had a few drinks in you.

 

_ The Halal Guys _ on 53rd and 6th was the best food cart. At any time of night, they had a line wrapped around the block and had even become so popular, Lexi had heard they even opened up a shop. Still, she begged Frank to go with her to get some lamb and rice and since he was feeling buzzed himself, he agreed.

 

Walking towards the subway entrance, Lexi teased, “How do you like your gyro, Frank? Do you like a lot of white stuff on it? Whenever I order food from the Halal Guys, I always insist on extra white sauce. I just want them to pour~”

 

“Alright, we get it ya cum guzzler,” Frank rolled his eyes, while wrapping his arm around to cup his hand over her mouth, “You like the white stuff.”

 

Lexi’s sultry eyes shone with amusement, as she pushed his hand away so she could place a cigarette in her mouth. Of course, smoking wasn’t good for you. She unfortunately had been a nicotine addict since she was sixteen years old. But, when you were a former drug user attempting to stay clean, quitting smoking simply wasn’t an option.

 

“Why didn’t you ever move back to Miami? After I killed your husband - you could have went back home.” Frank asked curiously.

 

Taking a pull, she shrugged, “New York City maybe fucked, but I think I like it here. I do miss the beaches of Florida - the lifestyle. But, I also like the lifestyle here. You want me to leave so soon, Frank?”

 

The conversation was cut short when a man stepped out in front of them. Eyes wide, hands shaking, and a gun outstretched. He was robbing them, clearly; as he tried reaching for Lexi’s clutch, “Your shit - now!”

 

Though it seemed Lexi was rattled, Frank simply rolled his eyes and gruffly instructed, “I’d fucking get out of here now, if I were you.”

 

“Who the fuck asked you,” The guy turned towards Frank, shaking before his eyes widened even more and he shouted out, “The Punisher! Holy fuck it’s the Punisher!”

 

And then he pulled the trigger. Probably due to drugs, his aim was shit and didn’t hit anything. But, Lexi jumped out of the way as Frank charged like a bulldog at the scumbag. A few people had gathered and even one took out their phone to record. In the midst of the chaos, the inebriated woman heard her companion yell at her to leave - though didn’t mention her name. There were witnesses, even while shooting a guy to death he wanted to make sure her identity wasn’t revealed.

 

Lexi was able to get away and only about ten minutes after she’d walk in the door did Frank join her. But, the news was just as fast. That kid had uploaded the video onto Youtube and soon all of New York City knew - the Punisher was alive. And just like that, the city was in a frenzy once again.

 


	7. Chapter Seven

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A damn emotional chapter

There was a knock on Lexi’s door the next day, but a quick look through the peephole revealed it wasn’t anyone to fret over. Karen Page stood across from the shorter woman, mouth slightly agaped in confusion as her bright eyes looked around, “I’m sorry, I must have the wrong place.”

 

“Karen Page?” Lexi smiled, while welcoming her in, “He’s in the bathroom.”

 

Truthfully, Frank didn’t really care if the whole world knew he was alive. But, it did help having a friend who worked at a newspaper, who he could contact on a burner phone to lend him her files. Karen was a huge supporter of him and he could admit he owed a lot to her. If only Red would stop dicking around with her feelings.

 

Looking around, Karen almost laughed, “This is where Frank’s been staying...it’s nice,” Turning around, she almost jumped from forgetting to introduce herself, “This is your home - I’m being rude.”

 

Lexi laughed as they shook hands and she smirked, “Darling, I live with our friend and his dog - you are refreshing. I’m Lexi Sincerbeaux - wine?”

 

“No, thank you. I’m actually on my way to work.”

 

Finally emerging from the bathroom, Frank sighed and walked over to the two women, “Thanks for coming, ma’am.”

 

Karen smiled, handing Frank a manilla envelope and explaining, “That’s everything we have on last night’s incident. The video’s blurry and it was dark - some are speculating it wasn’t even you. But, the police aren’t. They’re sure it’s you; you may want to stay away from any crime organizations for a while - police might be tapping in.”

 

“It’s alright, I got the police radio. I just needed the civilian reports,” He opened the folder and skimmed through, “This is Lexi by the way.”

 

“We met,” Karen smiled at her, before bouncing slightly on her heel, “I don’t want to be late. I’ll let you know what else we get, Frank, and it was lovely meeting you, Lexi.”

 

As soon as Karen left, Lexi found herself sighing in almost admiration while walking over to the fridge to grab out the carton of eggs, “She’s stunning. Even in heels I’m not that tall.”

 

Frank almost laugh, setting the information down to grab a pot for Lexi from an upper cabinet, “Yea, you’re short, alright. Ms. Page is a good woman - unfortunately for her she’s head over heels for Red and he can’t figure out how to actually be happy. Fucking Catholics.”

 

Lexi didn’t say anything, fixing herself a few egg whites and mixing them in a bowl. While she may not have been a good cook - she knew how to make an omelette. With mushrooms and spinach. Frank was a far better chef than she was - one time he even made them pork chops for dinner. If she had been with her deceased husband, in another lifetime; she may have hired him for personal use.

 

After making her breakfast, Lexi joined the vigilante at the kitchen aisle and pushed a fresh cup of black coffee in front of him. Frank’s gaze was focused on the package Karen had dropped off to him. While the Punisher made his presence as a loner, he was beginning to have more people on his side who assisted him than the Daredevil himself.

 

“You wanna say something to me, Lexi?”

 

Lexi took a bite of her omelette, musing to the man, “I should hang on with Karen more often. We seem to have a few things in common. We both look fantastic in heels, side with the Punisher,” Pausing to take another bite, Lexi’s amber eyes looked off to the side, as she sighed and flatly added, “And we both seem to fancy ourselves men who aren’t emotionally available.”

 

That stopped Frank from his work. A beat skipped, with him having his head down and Lexi focused on her breakfast. When he looked up, he wasn’t surprised. The gallery owner was routinely eating her meal and looked at him as if she hadn’t just said what she did. And knowing her, she wasn’t expecting him to react. Wasn’t expecting any revelation - just stating her thoughts.

 

With a sip from his mug, Frank let out an uncharacteristic laugh and shook his head, “Yea, maybe you two should bond over that. Associating yourselves with nutjobs. Hell, probably could start a support group for women who like assholes who don’t deserve it.”

 

“At least you admit you’re an asshole.” Lexi smirked and reaching over to grab his coffee and sip from it.

 

“That I am, kid.”

* * *

 

“Frank!”

 

Frank was in the bathroom, shaving his face when Lexi called for him. Tossing his washcloth down, he made his way to the living room to see what his roommate wanted. The news was on for the night and of course, the latest scoop was the return of the Punisher. They were going through everything - as if people didn’t know who he was. The man, Frank Castle, the tragedy of his family, the scumbags he gunned down, and then the death of the DA - which, everyone still thought was his fault.

 

“Why did you blow your house up, Frank?” Lexi inquired, after fifteen minutes of watching the Punisher special.

 

Sitting back on the couch, Frank worked his jaw and sighed, “Killed the Blacksmith...I’m never gonna stop doing what I do...but I killed the man who orchestrated the death of my family...everything I’d been doing up until then was retribution for their deaths. So...to continue with my mission to put down those who deserve it...I couldn’t be Frank Castle anymore.”

 

The news switched to something happier, fading off in the background as Lexi looked at the man next to her. There had been reports a few months before she and him had reconnect; news stories of Frank Castle’s house being destroyed. Of course, at the time they believed the Punisher to be dead and that it was an enemy who desecrated the home. After all, how could a man on a revenge mission actually do that to the place he once called his own?

 

Rubbing her hand on his shoulder, Lexi stood up and announced she was going to take a shower, “You know you’re hot shit when New Yorkers are actually concerned. This coming from the same natives who were more concerned with their parking garage than a small bomb going off in Chelsea.”

 

Frank shook his head, welcoming Bossman’s company on the couch, “Yea, New Yorkers pick the craziest things to focus on.”

 

As Lexi headed towards the bathroom, she removed her shirt and tossed it over a nearby chair. Tomorrow started the work week again and the gallery owner needed a nice hot shower - not that her work was strenuous. But, after living a miserable existence for the past few years, she felt that creating a calm environment for herself was a lifestyle change she needed to keep up with.

 

Humming happily as the warm water rained down on her naked body, she slid the glass door closed and shut her eyes. While it may have been silly to spend the money she did on redoing her kitchen, the expenses she put into the bathroom were well worth it. Besides her bedroom, it was Lexi’s favorite room in the apartment - fully decorated, chic, and where she often went to masturbate.

 

Just as Lexi went to run her hands down her breasts, the door opened up. Sighing, the tan woman ran her wet fingers through her hair and stated, “Darling, you have the worst timing.”

 

“Yea? Why’s that?” Frank gruffly chuckle, leaning against the sink.

 

Behind the foggy glass, she grabbed a bar of soap to run along her skin, “Did you think I went into this shower to get clean? You know I’m a morning shower person.”

 

“Yea - I know what you do in here at night.”

 

“Well, I need some outlet since I stopped picking up strangers.” Lexi snorted.

 

They both laughed gently, as Frank held onto the sink and looked away. Tapping his foot gently against the floor, he sighed and asked, “Can I come in?”

 

There was an odd silence in the room for a moment, as Lexi slid the door open only a crack so to pop her head out, “Frank?”

 

“Listen...I don’t know what this is...if it even is anything, but it makes me uncomfortable. I...heh, you know I had intimacy problems before all of this. Not always. Just the last time I came back. It...was the first time I actually felt the weight of everything I’d done. All the tours I’d done overseas...I was able to separate that from home life. Wasn’t even able to let it affect me...but, somehow, I came back and wasn’t able to do shit. Maria...I knew she wanted it. Shit - it’d been a year. I was home. She wanted to make love and I couldn’t…” Frank paused, finally looking over to her, “How am I supposed to do that with you....when I couldn’t do that to my wife?”

 

Letting the water hit her body, Lexi sucked in a breath and recalled, “Didn’t we establish this? I know nothing will come of it.”

 

“Just maybe I could join you and it could be non...sexual, you know?”

 

Lexi nodded and slid the door open more. She decided to turn away. She figured he wanted privacy while undressing. From being with so many men, she knew everyone was different. And considering how big this was, he deserved her respect. While she was tragically harmed by her husband and decided to find comfort in being promiscuous; Frank had become celibate - not wanting any other woman tainting the memory of his beloved Maria.

 

Hearing the gentle grunting of a man climbing into the shower and the glass door sliding shut, Lexi set the soap bar down in its tray and turned to finally face Frank. From living with him for a while, she knew that the Marine had scars decorating his body. From so many battles and fights, how could he not have markings that told the stories of his missions? The gnarliest though, was the one on his foot where the Irish drilled into his flesh. 

 

They just stood there - looking at each other. Lexi would see Frank looking at her. Her body was fit and shapely - the water glistening against her tan skin. It hadn’t been the first time he’d seen her naked - there was that one time he walked in on some asshole fucking her in the kitchen. But, he hadn’t paid attention to what she looked like at the time - just that there was a stranger in the house.

 

Almost softly laughing, Frank mustered up, “Looking good, kid.”

 

A smile cracked on her own face, as Lexi gestured downwards and teased, “Can I compliment you?”

 

“Yea...just don’t expect it to say hello.”

 

“I won’t,” Lexi smiled, turning around from him again to grab the bar of soap, “May I?”

 

A small snort puffed from his nostrils, Frank looking off to the side with his lips cracking into a smile, “Kinda corny, don’t you think?”

 

With a shrug, Lexi began running the bar of soap up her own arms and cooed to him, “Suit yourself.”

 

Frank stood there as the woman lathered herself up in front of him. Any straight man would have already gotten a hard-on and been slamming her up against the wall. Lexi was a fucking hot. Her body was tight, with curves in the right places and with supple breasts and a nice round ass. The former Marine was sure that if he still had male friends, they’d think he was nuts for not making a move.

 

But, he couldn’t. All he could think about was Maria. It fucked killed him. This wasn’t some 80s action movie, where he mourned the idea of losing a wife. Where his actions were only justified because it was a pride thing. Frank missed his wife. Missed the actual woman. It wasn’t about losing a symbol, it was about losing the person. There was a reason he’d always been faithful - he loved Maria. And he just didn’t know how to move on.

 

Reaching out, Frank took the hand that was holding the bar of soap and guided it to his own chest. Maria probably would want him to move on and even though he wasn’t ready for any sort of large commitment, he felt this was most likely a step in the right direction. What was a little showering amongst friends?

 

“Bet you never had to wait this long for a guy to fuck you, huh?” Frank mused gruffly.

 

The statement caused Lexi laugh, slowly circling the soap across his chest, “I lost my virginity when I was fourteen. Nothing spectacular - typical rebellious girl doing her boyfriend in his car. I slept around - I won’t lie. And then I met Eddie, who fucked me all the time. Whenever I didn’t want it. And you know how I was after him,” Meeting his eyes, she comforted him, “Believe me - this is a nice change of pace.”

 

Kindly smirking, Frank took a hold of her hand and brought it up to his lips. They seemed to linger there momentarily, before gently kissing her skin. Lexi was patient and reasonable; the slow change of pace somehow feeling more intimate than perhaps any man she had ever slept with before.

 

Their eyes met and Lexi felt herself being slowly pushed into the tile of shower wall. It was incredibly surreal, like a movie being watched and not really experienced. Maybe Frank felt the same way, as his lips were then moving against her own. His hands holding her sides, keeping her pinned while their mouths attempted to figure each other out. 

 

Lexi got a small taste of Frank’s tongue, before she felt his body quake. A tear hit her mouth and the Punisher was pulling away to rest his head on her shoulder. Maria was in his head again; the other woman being the first woman he had kissed after his wife’s tragic death. The first person to even know that side of him in the last twenty plus years. And that weight was so heavy, he couldn’t stop himself from crying.

 

Stark naked, Lexi slowly wrapped her around around his neck to pull him in closer. Her hand rubbed his back gently, as she compassionately held him. Fingers then coming up to rake through his hair, she felt his own arms encircle her waist to bring her closer to his body. Frank needed this.

  
Resting her cheek against his chest, Lexi closed her eyes and assured, “It’s okay.”


	8. Chapter Eight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I apologize ahead of time for the weird fluff in this chapter lol Also, an appearance of Misty Knight!

Frank needed another haircut. A career in the Marines had made him a stickler for precision. The hair growth for the past year had been a means of stealth, but now that people knew the big bad Punisher was back, there was no need to hide. It meant being himself again; whatever that fucked up variation was these days.

 

The pitbull stayed by Frank’s feet, as Lexi stood behind him. They set up in the living room area; the wealthy woman insisting any hair on the floor could easily be vacuumed up. There was an gallery event that night, but she had made the time to tend to the grieving widow’s hair. A few classes at a cosmetology school when she was living in Miami apparently stuck with her.

 

“It’s a charity event, right?” Frank asked.

 

“Mhm. Proceeds go to an animal shelter.”

 

A week had passed since the incident in the shower. Frank couldn’t recall how long he had stayed in Lexi’s arms, but he knew she hadn’t rushed him. The woman had just held him, as he let every emotion pass through him. And when that was done, they finished in the bathroom and went on with life. TV, coffee, and Bossman. Nothing was disrupted and that felt strange and comforting to the widow.

 

Finally done, Lexi brushed off any stray hairs and looked down at her watch, “Shit.”

 

“Why don’t you go? I’ll clean up.”

 

“Such a gentleman.” Lexi snickered, while crossing the room to go get dressed - leaving Frank to roll his eyes.

 

It hadn’t taken her long to slip on an evening gown; she had already done her makeup and her hair was always easy to maintain. The _power bob_ as the kids were calling it these days; apparently a lot of women in the last year of film had donned this hairstyle when in positions of power. Or just getting the point across that they were badass women; he didn’t mind. It looked good on her.

 

Snorting, Frank was taking out the vacuum while uncharacteristically commenting, “Shit, they better buy some fucking artwork now.”

 

Pleasantly surprised, Lexi touched his arm while smiling, “Thank you, darling.”

 

It wasn’t like they were a couple. There weren’t any goodbye kisses or _hello sweetie’s._ And Frank was thankful for that. It would have felt too domestic. Instead, they were just them and that was something the marine could handle for the time being. Perhaps though, this would be a good thing for him. Though, he suspected with the two of them that it’d never be exactly a healthy relationship.

 

On the upside, though; Frank was feeling an urge he hadn’t in a very long time. Looking at Bossman’s unrelenting stare, the military man grunted and made his way into the bathroom. Locking the door, he reached down into his pants and found himself semi-erect. What a bitch that Lexi Sincerbeaux; thinking she could come into his life and suddenly be repairing him. Two dead people, somehow benefiting each other.

* * *

  


Frank had gotten done gutting some worthless pedophile, who he had found out was personally taking pictures of children to sell to other scumbags; when his phone binged. Hands bloody, he swiped it on to see Lexi texting him. All in code of course, but it was midnight and she was finally out. Drunk too - it apparently been a good night.

 

Frank is in Harlem and it takes him a second to look at his surroundings, as he sees a dumpling takeout place and asks Lexi if she wants anything. That felt pretty domestic. Unlike Red, he didn’t just stay in Hell’s Kitchen. If there was a tip about some pervert spying on children, he was gonna go. Karen was a god send; she gave him all the good stories. Between she and his... _roommate,_ the Punisher had a pretty good team going on. Heh...he never thought he’d have a squad again after the military.

 

Leaving the asshole’s dead body in the alleyway, Frank pulled out a handkerchief to wipe his hands with while walking across the street. It may have been risky just walking into the dumpling place outside of his home turf, but considering the people of Harlem protected Luke Cage, maybe they wouldn’t mind extending that courtesy to another known vigilante.

 

There was nothing out of the ordinary when Frank walked in. It took a few seconds looking at the menu before ordering; sitting down at the counter to wait. There was an African American woman in the place, who seemed to be making her way to the counter, but maybe she was just ordering more green tea.

 

“Ya’ll are getting ballsy now. Coming up here. Walking around like no one knows you. I really should just arrest your ass right now.”

 

Confused, Frank turned to the woman and feigned ignorance, “Do I know you, ma’am?”

 

With a quip smirk, the woman pulled out her badge and flashed it for the one man killing squad, “Detective Misty Knight, Harlem PD. You’re a long way from home, Mr. Castle.”

 

A small grunt and Frank was motioning for the establishment’s owner, “You know what, I’m just gonna have to order another thing of dumplings. Sorry for the inconvenience.”

 

The owner nodded and went back into the kitchen, as Misty gawked, “Are you not the least bit concerned that you’re probably going to jail right now?”

 

“May I ask why you’re so angry, ma’am? I haven’t done anything wrong. I’m just waiting for my food. No killing spree tonight.” Frank added almost charmingly.

 

A small open mouthed smirk pulled at Misty’s lips, as she commented, “Unbelievable. You vigilantes. I mean...wow. The set of balls you all have on you. I mean, there’s little boys who rob a convenience store and hide out in fear of the law. But, here’s Frank Castle, sitting waiting for fucking dumplings as if he’s fucking Uncle Sam.”

 

“Well, that’s the problem,” Frank turned, “You were talking about boys. We’re men.”

 

Misty worked her jaw and looked off. This was a predicament. As an enforcer of the law, she should have been taking Frank in. Hell, she should have taken Luke in. These past few months had become confusing with the introduction of vigilantes. It was different hearing the news of the Avengers and all that, but for them to suddenly start popping up in her neighborhood. It opened up a can of worms none of them knew how to handle.

 

After enough time in her own head, Misty turned back to Frank and looked him over, “You clean up nice, Castle, someone taking care of you now? You can’t possibly be ordering all that food for yourself.”

 

“Yea, well, I’m a growing boy.”

 

Misty shook her head, taking a seat next to him and just observing. Frank could see her out of the corner of his eyes, but he didn’t react. The woman was law enforcement, but she didn’t pose any threat. He knew she was calculating and logical. She wouldn’t just brashly call in the cavalry, because she played the long haul.

 

“You know you are and I do pretty much the same job, we fight assholes,” Frank commented, as his takeout was finally being put down in front of him, “We just have different policies on what to do with said assholes.”

 

A small laugh whispered from her lips, as Misty beckoned, “We should talk. Sit down. Get to know each other. It isn’t often I get to meet the Punisher.”

 

“You trying to make small talk or fuck?”

 

“Maybe both.” Misty smirked cunningly.

 

Frank laughed, picking up his bag of food and standing up, “Can’t. As you said, got someone at home.”

* * *

  


Predictably intoxicated, Lexi gleamed at the sight of fresh, warm dumplings. Unfolding her legs, she climbed off the chair near the window and stubbed her cigarette out, “Holy fuck those smell good.”

 

Frank looked at the kitchen clock, “Fuck, it’s one in the morning already.”

 

“Aw, gotta go to bed so early, old man?” Lexi snickered, as she grabbed nice plates from the cabinets and two sets of chopsticks.

 

The jab made him laugh, causing him to reach out and pinch the girl’s side. And Lexi actually giggled. He never heard her do that before. Then again, he hadn’t felt this playful before. Not since before...Frank pushed that thought out of his head. And then the one of Lexi dead appeared; he pushed that aside too. Just chalking it up to a normal day in his mind - he was shot in the brain.

 

As they set everything down, Frank mentioned, “I was in Harlem. Met a detective there.”

 

Lexi raised an eyebrow, picking up a dumpling to take a bite out of, “Did you give Luke Cage my number?”

 

“Ha. Ha,” Frank grumbled, “Guess she’s had dealings with vigilantes before. Didn’t end up screaming or calling it in. Name was Misty Knight. I thought she was sharp. Good attitude. I thought maybe she was trying to try something towards the end, but you know I said I had someone at home. And when I thought about what was stopping me, it...it wasn’t...it wasn’t Maria. It was you.”

 

That was a bold statement. And one that required Lexi to put her food down and give Frank all of her attention. It wasn’t that she ever wanted to replace Maria - there was no way she ever could and he didn’t want to. It wasn’t just something she told the man to comfort him, the woman was honest when voicing that she knew she’d never be in the picture if the Punisher’s deceased wife was still alive. And that was okay.

 

“Was it of how you knew I was wanting food?” She lightly smirked, wanting to create a not so serious environment for Frank to express himself.

 

And he laughed. Turning his head, a smile was tugging at his mouth, as he chided, “How dare you come into my life and make me fucking care.”

 

* * *

 

It had been three in the morning when it looked like the two of them were needing sleep. It had been Frank who asked if they could sleep in the same bed. Everything had to be at Frank’s pace; Lexi understood this was the only way he’d ever somewhat be able to get over that hurdle. Not that he ever had to, but he knew Maria would want him to.

 

Lexi was in a tank top and booty shorts, and Frank had stripped down to his boxers. The wealthy woman had a big enough bed so that when the Punisher finally eased into it, they weren’t anywhere near one another. Not too long ago, they had been naked in a shower together yet this felt more intimate.

 

Rolling to her side, Lexi offered, “Frank, you know...if you ever did get to the point where you were ready to fuck...it doesn’t have to be gentle. It doesn’t have to be making love. That way, you don’t have to associate it with Maria...and that way, you can be as fucked up as you are. I know you must have images in your head. I won’t break.”

 

Frank had been on his back. Eyes focused on the ceiling above him. Lexi’s words ever so faintly tickled his ears, taking a moment to fully sit inside his mind. Raw, aggressive unemotional sex. That’s what she was offering him. It would be different than with Maria. Different than the beautiful love making - the passionate nights that they would spend together. Would it really be different? Would he actually have visions of killing her while he was filling her with his dick. Fuck, what was wrong with him?

 

Shifting, the Punisher turned his head towards her and asked, “Why?”

 

Lexi shrugged, “Because I want to be that for you. An outlet.”

 

“Don’t you want to be someone’s everything?”

 

“No,” Lexi reached over Frank to grab her pack of cigarettes, “That’s fake. Dependency. Childish. I was already someone’s everything - which made me a possession. I don’t want to be a possession. I just want to provide a small key to...something. Just like I want someone to be my small key to...something.”

 

“And what would I be the key to?”

 

Frank reached over to grab a lighter to flick a flame to the tip of the cigarette, watching Lexi slowly take a pull and release a billow of smoke. As her amber eyes looked up towards the ceiling as well, she gently shrugged with a smirk, “Something that makes life a little better. Who doesn’t want to put me in a bubble. Just...to be there, even if it isn’t for very long. I don’t believe in Heaven, Frank; so, I’m not looking for a life ever after love.”

 

Reaching over, Frank took the cigarette to take a pull himself. Shit, Maria would be so mad, “Your ex really fucked you up.”

 

“Yea...he did.”

 

After they passed the cigarette back and forth, Frank stubbed it out and turned to see Lexi rolling onto her side. With a long sigh, he felt a longing that he hadn’t in awhile. Physical contact wasn’t something he should have been craving, but he was. And so he rolled over too, pulling her in and commenting, “You’re fucked up.”

 

Smirking, Lexi softly cooed, “You too.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I never said these two would have a healthy relationship lol


	9. Chapter Nine

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Here's a long chapter for all you lovelies! Okay, so we have everything in here. Flashbacks. Claire Temple sighting. Feelings. Also, mature adult situation ahead. Now, I know that perhaps this is going in a different direction than it previously was but I have a plan set in place! I promise!

_ It had been different this time - coming home. In the past, Frank could pick up where he left off. Maria would sit him down, show him the pictures of everything he missed. She had taken a lot of video, so he wouldn’t feel left out. And the next day he would be playing ball with his boy and sitting with Lisa as she showed him all the new dinosaur toys she had gotten. _

 

_ For some reason, maybe age or just too many tours overseas; Frank was feeling the weight of his military career on his shoulders. Suddenly, nothing felt good anymore. He hadn’t an interest in anything anymore. Those tears he had cried when hugging his little girl somehow washed all of the person he was away and he truly felt like he wasn’t a member of society. Couldn’t drink a beer...couldn’t be with his family. All his wife wanted was to have her husband back and yet his soul felt like it was back at war. _

 

_ So, he had been the one to offer to take them to the park. Gain back a bit of who they once were. It was their spot - their happy place. Maria had stroked his cheek and kissed him happily, telling him the kids would like this. And he wanted to be a good father; be a good husband. It’s all he had wanted. _

 

_ As Frank put down the blanket, Lisa tugged at Maria’s leg, “Momma, can I go on the carousel?” _

 

_ “Let me put sunscreen on you first,” Looking up at the sun, the blonde pulled out her sunglasses and pointed out, “Bet you’re used to this, huh?” _

 

_ With almost a smirk, Frank commented, “Wasn’t really paying attention to any of that. I was too busy sweating through my uniform.” _

 

_ Maria smirked and knelt down to grab the bottle of sunscreen out of her tote. Frank Jr. was setting up his kite - it was a common thing for them. Frank pushed aside the heaviness he felt inside him, as he asked, “When’d you get that, son?” _

 

_ Frank Jr. was humming happily, as he explained, “Julie’s dad got it for me.” _

 

_ Eyebrows furrowed in, Frank asked Maria, “Who’s Julie?” _

 

_ “A girl in his class,” Maria smirked, playfully pinching her son’s cheek, “Our son’s first little girlfriend.” _

 

_ “Mom! She’s not a girlfriend - that’s gross.” _

 

_ Frank laughed, as he reached down and ruffled his boy’s hair. That felt good. Okay...he could feel okay. It was just soon after coming home, but he would get better. All he needed was time. And his family. This was where he belonged; where his heart was supposed to be. Right alongside the love of his life and the two best things to ever happen to him. _

 

_ Looking back on it, he would never forgive himself for hearing that gunshot and thinking it was just his imagination. After all, he was back home. Frank was no longer at war. There was no reason to be on alert and he wasn’t going to ruin his family’s time in the park due to paranoia. If only he had reacted. If only he had stopped that very first shot that tore a hole right through Frank Jr.’s stomach. _

* * *

 

Frank was shaking and sweating when he woke up. It wasn’t the first time he had nightmares. Almost every night was plagued with visions of his family’s death. Every millisecond once he woke up was relief that he was awake, before realization set in. No Maria. No Lisa. No Frank Jr. Just Frank Castle, alone to carry the burden that his life was the reason his family was killed. It was hard before when it was just a fucked up accident; harder now that he knew the truth.

 

There was a cold compress against his forehead, willing to calm him down from his stressful morning. Sucking in a deep breath, Frank felt his heartbeat slowing and his head clearing up. There would never be serenity. Never any real peace, when those kind of memories lived inside of his brain. But, for now he was feeling a little better.

 

A low groan escaped his lips, as Frank pointed out, “Dunno why you’d want to put up with this shit. You know what I was dreaming about?”

 

Lexi had a cold compress applied to Frank’s forehead, sitting on her feet in bed, “Your family, of course. I wouldn’t be able to think of anything else either.”

 

“You didn’t answer my question.”

 

“Why did you want to put up with some bitch who liked to whore herself out and do drugs?” Lexi playfully asked, while taking the ice pack off his head and laying down on her back, “It was always my personal philosophy never to ponder why fucked up people lean towards each other. Obviously, they wouldn’t be welcomed or understood by those who aren’t.”

 

Frank grunted with a nod, finally pulling himself off the bed and turning to see there was a cup of coffee on the nightstand, “You’re getting domestic on me.”

 

“That’s yours from last night, I just microwaved it.” The woman countered cheekily.

 

Huskily chortling, Frank got himself out of bed and grabbed the coffee on his way exiting the bedroom. They had slept together last night. Not in the sexual sense, but he had held her against his body. For a while he remembered, before falling asleep. And somehow, it felt like the most intimate thing he had done since Maria’s death.

 

Bossman greeted Frank happily, as he took a sip from the mug. His police radio was going off - they were in pursuit of some asshole. It was a gang on gang violence and a stray bullet had killed a little girl on her way to school. Assholes. The Punisher’s work was never done, because even though those responsible for his family’s deaths were dead didn’t mean he was ever going to stop. The world needed men like him.

 

“Gotta go,” Frank began putting together what was necessary for this mission, as Lexi walked out into the kitchen area, “Your plans today?”

 

“Hmmm, maybe I’ll take the dog on a walk today. Blow someone.” Lexi teased, a large grin on her face.

 

Shaking his head, Frank got his shit together and reached for his jacket to shrug on. While pulling on his boots, the Punisher found himself staring at the woman he shared an apartment with. In just a tank top and booty shorts, reaching in the fridge to grab the orange juice. Her body was naturally provocative and she wasn’t even trying. He wondered if his brain was just catching up on what he should have been feeling physically or if the death images spurred him on.

 

Muttering a quiet  _ hey,  _ Frank walked over to Lexi and took her hand. This was probably the moment he should have kissed her, but instead expressed in a low gravelly tone, “Thanks. For all you do.”

* * *

 

“I recognize that dog.” 

 

Lexi had finally made it outside. The dog was begging and she didn’t have any work that day. So, she slipped on a short, but comfortable brown dress and strappy heels to take Bossman out. Sure, it probably wasn’t the most practical attire, but she had never been the most practical woman. 

 

While out, a familiar voice perked Lexi’s attention. She stopped and turned her head to see Claire Temple approaching her. Smiling, the gallery owner invited the nurse to walk with her, as it seemed the two had nothing to do that day. It was nice enough out and Bossman wasn’t exactly a talker.

 

“Mind holding the leash for a second?” Lexi asked, handing the leash over.

 

Claire took the leash, petting the dog’s head as Lexi took a pack of cigarettes from her purse and lit one. She took the leash back while smoking, as the nurse pointed out, “Those will kill ya.”

 

“Mmm, and about a million other things in this city.”

 

The two women chuckled, as Claire stuck her hands in the pockets of her thin hoodie and referenced the dog, “That’s Frank Castle’s dog, right? That’s your other friend you told me about? It’s weird - there’s like a whole other set of news and information for...I don’t know, superheroes?”

 

With a light laugh, Lexi snorted that she didn’t exactly think they were superheroes, “Aren’t those terms reserved for the Avengers? Besides, it’s not like any of them are wearing capes.”

 

“Have you seen Daredevil’s suit?” Claire laughed, as Lexi joined in.

 

As they kept walking along, Claire pointed out, “You don’t seem too worried that I pointed out you know The Punisher.”

 

Flicking aside a cigarette butt, Lexi shrugged, “You know Luke Cage.”

 

“Fair enough. But...you know, I don’t really want to get into a morality issue,” The nurse slowly licked her full lips, looking over towards the other woman and adding, “Frank Castle...I mean...don’t you think he’s lost count of all the murders he’s committed?”

 

Slightly miffed, Lexi was able to remain poised and decided that being catty was not the answer. After all, they were both the...companions of men wanted by the police, who were only doing what they had to in order to protect others. Still, she couldn’t help, but point out to Claire, “Wasn’t Luke a Marine? I have to imagine he killed people then.”

 

“That was during war.”

 

The two women stopped, as Lexi offered the other a smile, “Darling, I like you. We don’t need to agree on the techniques of our... _ friends.  _ Besides, should how we behave towards each other really be dictated by men?”

 

“It’s not just that,” Claire stuck her hands in the pockets of her thin hoodie and added, “I was working at Metro General at the time his killing spree started. I mean...those bodies...I’ll never forget what I saw. What he did...I’m just saying, it can’t be healthy being his friend.”

 

“Believe me, I wasn’t healthy before meeting him.”

* * *

 

Bossman happily trotted over to Frank once Lexi and the dog got home. The Punisher had been stitching up a wound on his chest, putting down a towel in the bathroom to collect any blood. The animal rested at his owner’s feet, as his head was petted gently by the large man who was now disinfecting the bloody cut.

 

Lexi leaned against the doorframe, arms folded, and asked, “Guess the asshole fought back.”

 

“Got the knife on me,” Frank commented, patting gently at the stitches, “Wasn’t laughing when it was stuck in his eye.”

 

Sure, the way Frank killed was gruesome. Bloody. Torturous. That was the point. The men he put down were not good people and to the Punisher, they didn’t deserve to die in a nice way. A single bullet was too kind of a fate for some of them - they got off too easy, would be what he said. And Lexi knew this and for some reason, she agreed with him. Not many people did and she knew that, but it didn’t matter.

 

Noticing her staring, Frank turned and asked, “What’d you thinking?”

 

“I like that you kill people the way you do.”

 

Frank turned, confused, “You’re alright?”

 

Lexi smirked, “I don’t find actual sexual enjoyment out of it, if you’re thinking that way. I’m letting you know...I don’t think you’re wrong. I don’t just put up with what you do or know I can’t change it. I don’t want to. I think those men...deserve it. Just like you killed my husband...I wanted you to do that. He  _ deserved  _ that. Not jail time. Death. You do what’s necessary.”

 

“You don’t know what’s in my head.”

 

“Try me.”

 

Frank frowned, putting his kit down as he slowly reached out. His hand took its time wrapping around her neck, not applying any pressure at first. Their eyes held each other’s gaze, as if seeing who was going to crack first. The dog whimpered and trotted out of the bathroom, as if knowing this was a battle they needed to fight on their own.

 

Lexi remained still, even when his grip tightened. He could feel the soft skin of her neck underneath his fingertips, different than when he was killing someone. Frank never took the time to notice these things. Never considered how breathing even worked, when he was ending someone’s life. But, he thought about it now.

 

Still, nothing. Nostrils flaring, Frank asked, “This doesn’t bother you?”

 

“This isn’t even foreplay.”

 

Frank snarled and suddenly shoved Lexi into the wall, his hand remaining on her throat. And he heard it. A moan. A fucking moan. This woman was being strangled practically, thrown into a wall and she fucking moaned. Frank couldn’t believe it. He wanted to be intimate with Lexi, but it was damn hard. She was right - it was too much like Maria. If he ever wanted it to happen, he had to be truthful about the differences. This was them and it wasn’t gonna be pretty.

 

“You’re a fucked up whore.” Frank found himself saying - hating the way the words tasted on his tongue, but loving how Lexi arched into his palm when he said it.

 

His chest was heavy, Frank breathing in as he pushed his body into hers. Maybe whatever that doctor was spewing on about at the trial was right. Everything felt heightened and his adrenaline was pumping. It was like everything was higher and clearer; he could hear his blood pumping through his ears. And all he knew was that he was focused on his target - Lexi Sincerbeaux.

 

Amber eyes were focused on him, as Frank slowly let go. Not for long though. His hand was then in her hair, gripping it tightly and his mouth was on hers. Aggressively biting, Lexi groaned at the way he was attacking her. His teeth were angrily biting at her, as if he wanting her to bleed. As if wanting to taste the iron.

 

“You fucking want to die? You know how easily I can kill you?” Frank found himself growling, “You think you can do this? You think you can fucking demand this of me? Fucking want me to do this to Maria? Who are you? Who fucking are you?”

 

Lexi knew to not take what he was saying to heart. This was just what he needed right now. What she had been telling him about not too long ago. He had been killing for so long, but something like this was what he needed. Needed to take his aggression out on someone personally - it would be the only way to step over the hurdle.

 

Frank’s strong knee pushed in between Lexi’s smooth legs - grinding up against her core in a needy and imposing fashion. When the woman’s well manicured nails went to touch his bulge, her wrist was gripped tightly and slammed against the wall, his mouth then going into attack the nook of her neck.

 

Skin was breaking and Lexi could feel the blood vessels bunching up in the area Frank was harshly sucking on. Now, the former drug addict was no stranger to rough sex. There weren’t many times in her life that she had engaged in gentle lovemaking and if it was something akin, than it was fake.

 

The sound of fabric ripping caused the woman’s eyes to open, shifting her focus on Frank tearing her dress off her tight body. He was an animal in all aspects of life and there was no way that the Punisher would be patient. Not when he was in this kind of headspace - not when he needed to take what he deemed was his.

 

Frank was grabbing any area of skin he could - aggressively bruising her and marking Lexi up. She felt lightheaded, but in the most wonderful of ways. Everything was like an arms length away, not truly there but enough to experience the pleasure.

 

Shit was like a porno in front of him. Frank could hardly register that he was flinging her down to the ground. His fist was tight on her black hair, holding her head steady as he pulled his hard dick from his pants. His hard cock. He was fucking hard and he knew this couldn't be real.

 

Lexi winced when the manhood was shoved down her throat. Her lips were bruised and his cock was thick and long. There wasn't much time to appreciate him, but she moaned nevertheless as Frank held her head still so to keep his length buried as deep as he could. 

 

“Why aren't you uncomfortable? Why aren't you coughing or pushing me off? No fucking gag reflex,” He should his head, “Whore.”

 

Without any warning, Frank began fucking Lexi’s mouth. There was a desperation to the way his hips bucked. Still gaining its rhythm. Which, she expected. It had been so long for him. And he was learning a new woman. A new him. A new way of sex and that was all controlling and dangerous.

 

Hand bracing himself against the wall behind her, Frank grunted while rapidly pumping in and out of Lexi’s tired mouth. Her moans were loud and her orifice was warm. With one hand still gripping onto the woman’s hair, he could feel himself losing control. This was not who he was, but who he had became. All he could see in his head was death and violence.

 

Saliva trailed from Lexi’s lips to the tip of Frank’s dick when the Punisher pulled out, taking a moment to appreciate how desperately the woman below him was breathing. Nodding to himself, he whispered, “Okay, okay,” while slowly getting down to his knees, one by one. Turning the former drug addict over and pinning her front first against the tile while doing so.

 

Lexi shuddered, as her arms were yanked behind her and the wrists were pinned uncomfortably together. Frank was smacking her ass - hard. And each strike made the woman quiver; gasping each time her vaginal walls squeezed tightly, “Fuck, Frank.”

 

“Shut up.”

 

Angrily spitting into the palm of his hand, Frank coated his aching manhood before lifting Lexi’s hips. In his heightened state, he could see how soaking her tight and shaved sex was. Maria had a cute little landing strike of blondish brown hair that he always liked teasingly pulling at. He supposed this woman being younger made a difference in hair preference.

 

Lexi’s ass was pert, round, and stuck out. Frank slapped it once more, before lining himself up. He didn’t want any time to pass for him to actually feel it and hesitate, so he instead just shoved himself into the hilt. And it nearly took the wind out of him. Not only because he almost forgot what it had been like to be inside a womanhood, but because his companion was screaming.

 

And he loved it.

 

Gripping her wrists harder, Frank growled audibly before slowly sliding himself out half way and bucking hard back in. Another scream. Lexi’s skin practically shook with each thrust inside. And it fucking fascinated him. With just one hard pump he could practically see her breaking apart and it was wonderful.

 

“Fuck, Lexi, fuck,” He cursed underneath his breath, leaning his body down more onto hers and picking up a hard and steady rhythm, “You’re not gonna be walking after this. It’s what you wanted. What you’ve pushed from me. I hope you’re fucking happy.”

 

Lexi’s eyes were shut and her mouth hung wide open, as her cunt was savagely fucked. Frank was so desperate to just push the images of his deceased wife out of his head that he pierced his companion with the intensity of a man hurting a woman. He was right - she wouldn’t be able to walk after this. Her vagina was already feeling sore and she was close to orgasm. She never said she wasn’t a sick fuck.

 

With another push, Frank could feeling the woman’s walls constricting around his staff and saw her body quake. Realizing what just happened, he bent down to bite at her ear, “Did you just fucking cum? I’m fucking hurting you and you’re enjoying this!”

 

That was it, he couldn’t take it anymore. Closing his own eyes, Frank put his forehead against her shoulder blade and slammed himself into Lexi until he was filling her with his seed. There was a brief moment that he worried about repercussions, before remembering she couldn’t become pregnant. And he would feel bad for seeing that as a good thing if it didn’t feel so good to have her vagina milking him for every drop.

 

Everything felt different in the wake of orgasm, as Frank’s heart was finally calming down. His body was still laying on top of Lexi’s and it was the first time during this moment that he felt self-aware. His manhood was still inside the spent flower, they were both sweating, and he had just had sex with a woman who wasn’t Maria.

 

And he felt all that pain welling up inside him. Letting go of Lexi’s wrists, the Punisher pulled himself out and tried desperately not to see the cum seeping out of her. Only an absolute asshole would choose to stand up, zip himself back up, and walk out the door. Walk out and leave the younger woman naked and hurt on the bathroom floor. And that exactly what that asshole did.


	10. Chapter Ten

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am so sorry for the long wait! X.X it's been a stressful few months. I hope you all enjoy the twist this chapter has at the end and that you're all super pumped for The Punisher series!

When Frank looked at his watch, only an hour had gone by. That didn’t make him too big of an asshole, did it? It wasn’t like he had been gone a whole day after brutally fucking the woman who only offered to help him. He stopped right before getting to the door and cursed at himself - he was an asshole.

 

Lexi was sitting at the kitchen island when Frank stepped inside the loft. Bossman was by her feet and she had apparently gotten dressed. That’s right - he ripped her dress in half.  _ Shit.  _ The guilt he felt over that didn’t compare to the fresh pangs of shame crawling under his skin, as he observed the rest of her.

 

If the gallery owner wanted to go to work or just go out, she would have to wear a scarf or a turtleneck for days. Besides the large and painful looking hickeys, the Punisher’s strangle marks decorated Lexi’s tan neck. It may him wonder if the rest of her body looked like that and if she could even breathe well.

 

“Hello, darling.” Lexi greeted in a more cheerful manner than he expected.

 

Lexi had made coffee and her lips were so bruised and split, that Frank could hear her wince painfully when trying to take a sip. Shaking his head, the Punisher swallowed thickly and hoarsely croaked out, “Shit...Lexi...I...you can’t have possibly enjoyed that.”

 

Setting her cup down, Lexi smiled the best she could, “I told you that I would be this for you. And it was what you needed and I’m glad you got it out. Besides, I told you I enjoyed rough sex.”

 

“No...no, this wasn’t right. This...this isn’t sex. That...sex is supposed to be two people and it’s supposed to be mutually pleasing to both…” Shaking his head, Frank looked away and frowned sorrowfully, “I...what I did was no better than rape.”

 

Lexi frowned and got up from her seat, to limp over towards Frank. Which, only made his guilt worse, because all he could think of was how awful this all was. He felt her hand gently touch his cheek, beckoning him to look back at her, “Frank...that was what you and Maria had...and that will always be special. And you deserve to preserve those memories. This is what you have with me...and if it’s a one time thing, then it can be remembered as a one time thing that was different than Maria. Frank, you are a different person. You were shot in the head and you lost your family. You are a different man. And you enjoyed that and I did too.”

 

There was a tightening in his chest; squeezing him so all he managed to say was, “Are...are you hurt…? Down there?”

 

“This cunt has taken beatings before don’t worry.” Lexi teased.

 

Frank was about to snort and call her a whore, but it only reminded him of before and he wanted to clear that up, “I didn’t mean any of that shit before...so you know.”

 

Offering up a kind smile, Lexi shared, “I’ve said many things in bed that I didn’t mean. It’s all kosher when it comes to sex.”

 

“Feel like we should have a safe word or something.”

 

“Pickles.” Lexi laughed, cause Frank to finally relax and shake his head as he walked over to get himself some coffee.

* * *

 

 

It was startling how quickly Frank could betray his morals. Perhaps he hadn’t any. It could be possible that the bullshit he had spewed in the past was just an attempt to hold onto old sentiments from his former life. Nostalgia could have been the only reason certain words were spoken; he might not have even believed in those rules. It had just been what he always believed in, so it made sense - moving on was hard.

 

What hadn’t been hard, was jumping back into the sack with Lexi. Even after feeling like absolute shit and certain that he wasn’t that much of a monster, Frank was using the bruised up woman not a day later. And it wasn’t a situation that called for it. She had been reading a newspaper while standing in the kitchen, when his cock had twitched, and he plucked her up to sit her on the edge of the counter.

 

Lexi’s well manicured nails were digging into his skin. Her cunt hurt. It had to. The way she was breathing, her thighs squeezing his hips; Frank knew that she was still sore from her previous assault. God, what was wrong with him? This was who he was now? Frank Castle aka The Punisher, family man turned fucking sadist.

 

“Frank!” Lexi ground out, throwing her head back as her pussy was stretched by Frank’s unforgiving manhood.

 

“I told you not to talk.” He found himself saying - hating the way the words tasted on his tongue.

 

To make his point, the older man reached over and stuck his thumb inside the soft and bruised lips of his companion. What else was there to call her? For a while it was roommate, then friend. If he called her his fuckbuddy that would make him feel shittier, because Frank knew she was more than just that. But, then that would force him to admit there was a new woman in his life and he wasn’t ready for that.

 

Moaning, Lexi began to suck at the thumb stuck in her mouth. Frank watched her reach down to begin playing with herself, causing a heavy burn in the pit of his belly. Fuck, it was hot to watch. It made the former Marine grunt deeply and slam himself in continuously, until he could hear the woman wincing. It didn’t stop him.

 

Lexi worked her hand vigorously across her swollen clit, teeth practically clamping down onto Frank’s thumb. Hissing, his anger quickly subsided when vaginal walls clenched around his stiff staff and the most glorious thing happened. Watching the piece of walking sex squirt in blissful agony was enough to do him in.

 

Just like before, Frank experienced a brief moment of paranoia upon cumming deep in his companion’s warm womanhood. There was a dark allure to Lexi’s eyes in that moment, grabbing his wrist as she dangerously purred, “Afraid you’ll knock me up, Frank? I’m as barren as can be.”

 

Instantly, The Punisher shoved her head back against the kitchen cabinet with his hand tight around her throat. A beastly snarl billowed out of him, looking like an animal set upon his prey, “Don’t fucking take shit like that lightly.”

 

It was almost enough to harden him up again, but orgasming was enough to deflate the anger out of his mouth. This had been unintentional. Frank didn’t want to enjoy any of what he had just done to her, but his dark eyes kept focus on Lexi. It was as if she had just turned into black tar heroin and was killing him on the inside. Or he was killing her. Either way, he didn’t see either of them coming out of this alive.

 

Finally catching his own breath, the Punisher pulled out and saw the correct conclusion he’d come to in his head. Swallowing thickly, Frank rested his forehead on her shoulder and grunted miserably, “You’re bleeding.”

 

Lexi had to be putting on a show, he thought; there was no way she could be that numb on the inside to shrug, “I guess I am.”

 

“You...we can’t do this again,” The former family man pleaded with a wheezing pain, “I can’t do this again. I...it isn’t right.”

 

“You said that the last time.”

 

“And I mean it this time.” Frank pulled up his pants and redid his belt, not wanting to look at the woman before her, but not being able to help it. Bruised up, hurt. All his. All because of him. Guilt and pride swelled up inside him, confusing him. This couldn’t possibly be what he was going to become. It was enough that he had taken on the Punisher persona. Being the man to take out those who deserved it was like a badge of honor. Even if other people felt that he was a psychopath and murderer, he knew he was doing the right thing. Not this time though. This time, he knew if he didn’t stop this mayhem he’d truly be the monster news outlets called him.

 

Swallowing thickly, Frank’s voice croaked out, “This was the last time. I mean it…I don’t even want to see you naked.”

 

Tightening her lips, Lexi hummed, “You know how to make a girl feel special.”

 

“I fucking mean it.”

 

There was something dangerous in Frank’s tone, as Lexi frowned. Not wanting to poke the bear further, the former drug addict walked over to the dog to announce, “I’m going to take Bossman for a walk.”

 

Frank cursed under his breath and walked after her, catching her arm before she was able to leave, “Look at me. Look at what I did to you. You think I want to do that again?”

 

There was almost a desperation to his words; Lexi sighed and reached out to touch his cheek, “Yes, you do.”

 

And that made him feel even worse. Because she was right. Practically whining, he begged, “Help me stop…I can’t be this anymore.”

It could have been easy for Lexi to try to push the issue. To insist that it was fine. She was fine. All that had been said before. Frank didn’t need any of that right now. Instead, the woman slowly laced her fingers through his and leaned up to slowly kiss his lips. They barely touched and she didn’t linger; moving back and softly telling him, “It was the last time.”

* * *

 

A few days had passed. For some reason, it seemed as if the little blurp in time was some distant memory. Lexi’s bruises had been healing. Frank had been out mostly on the streets and that had helped a lot for them to fall back into a sense of normalcy. Away from the issues that we clearly there. Everyone lied to themselves.

 

Surprisingly, Frank felt comfortable enough to share a bed still with Lexi. Nothing indicated their sexual relationship would continue, but the two had been through quite a bit with each other. In a way, he did need her. Every night he was there, he told himself he was going to leave. Every morning, he woke up next to her.

 

One night, Frank woke up around three in the morning. It was a particular sound that woke him up. Something that he was almost familiar with and for a moment, it felt like his old life. Only when he opened his eyes, the man knew instantly that life was gone. Which, made the noises he was hearing from the bathroom all the more alarming.

 

Pulling himself out of bed, Frank made his way to the bathroom. The door was open and he saw Lexi, on her knees with her face in the toilet. There had been so many times that he’d seen Maria in the same circumstance. It was always the same result - he knew it. A gut instinct that made his stomach drop.

 

“Lexi?”

 

With a sick sigh, Lexi pulled her head out of the toilet and groaned, “Sorry, darling, I didn’t mean to wake you. Must have been something I ate.”

 

“When’d you get your period?”

 

“Excuse me?” Lexi raised an eyebrow suspiciously.

 

Slowly crouching down, the former Marine sighed while asking, “When’d you get your last period?” Lexi shrugged in response, to which Frank ran his hand through his hair, “Shit...shit, I shouldn’t have...fuck, I should have pulled out.”

 

“Darling, what are you talking about?”

 

“You’re pregnant, Lexi!”

 

Frank had finally yelled it out, feeling himself breaking a little by the statement. Yet, Lexi laughed almost snidely and shook her head, “I can’t have children, remember?”

 

“You know doctors can be wrong, right? This shit happens,” He argued, “And Maria was pregnant three times, I know what I’m talking about.”

 

Eyebrows furrowed in, Lexi sat back and pointed out, “You had two children, Frank.”

 

“It was a miscarriage…”

 

“I’m sorry.” Lexi stated. The two of them sat in silence for a moment, before Lexi lurched forward to wretch into the toilet again. 

 

Stressed, Frank breathed heavy, “I’m going to the pharmacy.”


	11. Chapter Eleven

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Frank and Lexi deal with the aftermath of the discovery that Lexi is indeed pregnant...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry about it taking so long! Prepare for some angst! Warning: mentions of abortion.

It wasn’t often Frank showed up at Murdock’s home. As a man on the run, he was typically in the shadows. But, it was the middle of the day and he sat in the other vigilante’s apartment, his knee bouncing and his eyes staring out the window. He was battered and bruised, but that was nothing new. Matt had come to the conclusion there was something else the matter with his unlikely ally that caused him to come out of hiding.

 

“Frank,” Matt spoke softly. He liked to think he had a voice that could sooth most people, even The Punisher, “Is something wrong?”

 

Hand covering his mouth, Frank’s knee continued to bounce as he just stared out in disbelief, “Life is fucking ironic sometimes, you know, Red?”

 

Listening to his heart beat, the lawyer asked, “Did something happen?”

 

“She’s pregnant.” He finally croaked out. His voice was weak, strained. He was trying to fight against it so hard. Sound strong. But, all Matt heard was a man on the verge. 

 

“Who, Frank?”

 

Frank’s hand ran to the back of his head as he bowed down his gaze, just breathing and lost, “Lexi...she’s pregnant...just found out yesterday. You know...she didn’t think she could even have kids. All those years with that abusive bastard and nothing. Now…”

 

There was no end to that sentence and Matt shifted, attempting to get the whole truth out of him, “One of her one night stands?”

 

“Nah, nah, she hasn’t been like that in months.” Frank’s stare finally shifted over to Matt, despite the fact he was blind, “It’s me...I’m the dad.”

 

Frank told Matt in a way that made it sound like he was confessing to an affair. But, in the Punisher’s mind that’s what it was. The lawyer had suspected of a relationship between the two. Lexi was the anti-hero’s partner in crime. She absolutely had no qualms with what he did and the Daredevil knew the other man had been living with her. She’d become his associate. His most valuable asset.

 

It started platonically at first, of course. That’s all Frank could handle. But, he and Lexi were in a domestic relationship whether he chose to see it that way or not. Not many people would be willing to take in the Punisher. His dog. Live, eat, and talk to one another. She cut his hair. He made her dinner. He got her clean. She didn’t question his motives and she didn’t make him feel guilty over the new person he was.

 

Tilting his head, Matt stated more than questioned, “You’ve been intimate with her.”

 

“That shouldn’t even fucking be what it’s called,” He grabbed at his hair, “It’s not right. It’s so wrong. I can’t make love. I...I just can’t. I see Maria. I see the kids. And...and I’m a machine, not a man. Lexi’s walked in front of me naked more times than I can count. Couldn’t even get it up. It’s like I didn’t have a dick. Like...like I didn’t have a soul cause that’s not what I’m made for. I can’t...I can’t be living a life while my family is in the ground…”

 

Matt could hear Frank needing to express himself and so he sat quiet, listening, “But...she’s there for me. Suddenly, we’re eating greasy Chinese places together. I know she’s a bitch when she’s hungry. She knows when I’m just needing an outlet instead of staying on task. She’s asking to just be called my friend. And...I know I can’t do this shit with her. But...she’s fucked up and I fucking love it...she...she didn’t even blink... It can’t be good, Red...because I leave her bloody and broken every time.”

 

“What do you mean?”

 

“Sometimes...I fantasize about her choking on my fucking cock...dying...right there...I can’t...I can’t just have sex because I did that with my wife. Can’t make love. She ain’t my wife...so, I fuck her. I fucking hurt her. You...you know what I did last time I gave it to her? I fucking popped her shoulder out. She got...marks...around her neck cause of me. It ain’t right...can’t even take a sip of coffee cause her lips busted, but she never complains. Cause she says she understands this is what I need….and now she’s pregnant.”

 

Matt swallowed thickly, but didn’t show it. He knew Frank was a good man. He knew the Punisher wasn’t a woman beater. Knew that he was dealing with demons inside of him. Not knowing who he fully was. On top of that rooftop, he had told the Devil of Hell’s Kitchen that he had found clarity, but they both knew he was confused as ever.

 

“What does she say?” Matt finally asked.

 

Tears in his eyes, Frank choked out, “She’s freaking out….she never thought she could have kids, so she’s dealing with that. And...everything she’s worried about. It’s going on in my head. I told her...I told her shit cause I knew she needed to hear it. Because, she’s needing me. But...Matt...what the fuck? It….a baby...I’m gonna have a fucking baby. What about Lisa? What about Frank Jr? It should be them...my kids are in the fucking ground - I shouldn’t be getting another kid! I...I want her to get rid of it...because I’m fucking weak and can’t deal with it. Ain’t the kid’s fault...it ain’t Lexi’s fault….how...how can I even lie to her? She looks at me like I’m her fucking world, but doesn’t she know if Maria were still alive I’d have no idea who she was? She’d be fucking killed by her ex probably...how...how could she even like me?”

 

Holding his mouth, he asked one last question, “How can I ask a woman who thought she’d never have kids to get rid of one?”

 

For Matt, it was a difficult subject. Despite everything, he considered himself still a devout Catholic. Despite being called the Devil of Hell’s kitchen, despite struggling with his own inner demons, and considering the profession he had got himself into, he told anyone who asked that he was a believer of the Lord. So, how could he even begin to form an answer that would sooth Frank Castle’s problem?

 

Instead, he asked, “Is that really what you want?”

 

Now Frank is quiet. The Punisher rarely held his tongue around Matt. He was big and brooding, but around Daredevil he was talkative. They regularly bounced opinions and philosophies back and forth. Because, as much as the lawyer had initially denied it; the two were very much alike. It was a burden he carried around every day and he liked the company - because only the Marine understood.

 

“I think I’ll be seeing you around, Red.” Frank managed to get out, not bothering to really look the other man’s way - instead just getting up and lazily waving, despite knowing Matt couldn’t see.

 

* * *

 

Pregnant. It’s a terminology that Lexi never thought she’d associate with herself. After years of believing it to be fact, she had accepted it. There were no bitter feelings and when she was married to her deceased husband, a child was the last thing she wanted to bring into the world. And afterwards wouldn’t have been a good time either, considering she was using drugs and taking home random strangers.

 

Even after all of that, she still was okay with the idea of never having children. There were some people that were destined to not be parents. At least, biologically. If it ever came to be, she could have always adopted. Not that she ever saw herself in a healthy relationship after having the Punisher kill her husband. She supposed she still wasn’t in a healthy relationship, if you could call it that; at all.

 

Mindlessly running her hand over her stomach, Lexi’s ears twitched when the door opened. Upon seeing the positive sign on the pregnancy test, Frank had left. She understood. Only a week ago the two of them were dealing with intimacy and the possibility of even moving on, when this happened. It couldn’t have been worst timing.

 

“Sorry…” Frank managed to croak out, “Had to get fresh air.”

 

“Of course,” Lexi smiled, deciding to make light talk and point out, “You know, I always felt twenty-seven would be the year I quit smoking - I suppose this is as good of reason as ever.”

 

Frank barely responded, running his fingers through his hair and walking over to sit across from her. It was still new, the discovery. Lexi looked out of her element. As poised as she was trying to be, he could see it in her eyes. He never considered her to be transparent, but something such as pregnancy could do that. And it made everything harder.

 

Swallowing thickly, Frank wrung his hands and thought about the words about to come out of his mouth. How incredibly patient Lexi was - just sitting there. Knowing the man across from her had something to say and not interjecting or pushing him to share. Everything was at his pace; everything.

 

“It’s funny, you know? I might be dead tomorrow from trying to kill some asshole. Or finally caught and thrown into jail. It’s like, some cliche movie where you’d be a single….a single mother.”

 

Lexi smirked and cooed, “I don’t think anything could kill you, Frank Castle.”

 

Head bowed, his eyes shifted up to look at her, “Just saying...it’s like just when you thought you could have a normal life, you can’t. Your abusive husbands dies, you’re free. You’re now clean. And now...you’re...you’re gonna have the Punisher’s baby. Not like you and I could ever take the kid out for a walk in the park. There’s no PTA meetings. I’m not working a 9-5...just logically, it’s not a good situation.”

 

Lexi understood his concerns. It surprised her a little that what he was not focusing on where Lisa and Frank Jr. She certainly thought his hesitation could derive from the deaths of his children and how her being pregnant with a child was almost sacrilegious. How could he be happy over a baby when the two from the love of his life were gone? Those were normal concerns that maybe they could work through.

 

This was different and it was making sense to Lexi. Slowly frowning, she tried to hold her chin up and state without bias, “You want me to get rid of the baby.”

 

Having her say it outloud made Frank feel like an even bigger piece of shit than he did before. Funny, he didn’t think it was possible. Nor could he even look her in the eyes. Like a coward, his gaze was focused on the floor. Because how cold of a man was he to ask her to get an abortion, when being pregnant was never a possibility for her before?

 

“I just don’t think it’s a good idea…” Frank trailed off.

 

Working her jaw, Lexi stood up and walked by him. The room was eerily quiet and Frank wondered for how long he’d burn in hell for asking such a thing. For as patient as the former drug addict was, this was definitely something she’d not be understanding of. And how dare he ask in the first place. It wasn’t his body - he didn’t get to make the rules.  _ Say something, Frank, take it back. _

 

It was when he heard the familiar click of a lighter that Frank turned his head to see Lexi sticking a cigarette in between her lips and holding a flame to the tip. Jumping up, he carefully held his hands up and whispered, “No, no, no, no, no,” Taking the lighter and cigarette from her fingers, he shook his head, “Don’t do that, please.”

 

“I won’t be pregnant for very long, so why not?”

 

“I didn’t mean it. I didn’t mean it,” Frank shook his head, “I don’t know what to do...I don’t know how to handle this shit. I...fuck, fuck, fuck!”

 

Sighing, Lexi touched the Punisher’s hand gently and assured him, “I don’t know how to handle this shit either. It may not...be the right thing. It most certainly isn’t. But, it’s fresh. Maybe we think it through a little?”

 

“Yea...I can do that”


	12. Chapter Twelve

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lexi and Frank reconcile after the big reveal.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! I do want to give fair warning; this chapter will be the second to last. I know that there's probably a lot going on that you don't think warrants an ending just yet. But, I like to keep things short and sweet. I like to tell stories without dragging them on, that way I never have people thinking I'm just filling space. I want to create beautiful stories that come full circle. And I always like a slightly open ending. Anyway, this is not the last one, but I do hope you find this a good beginning to a conclusion. I want to thank everyone who has been reading. God, I have loved writing Frank and Lexi. There are so many one-shots I have written and are unfinished and not posted. I assure, this is not the last you've seen of them.

Frank Castle was not a good man. He was not a bad guy, but he was not a good man. The Punisher knew that. He realized it. There couldn’t be any good men to do what he had to do in life, because those he put down were bad men. So, yes, he had to stoop to their level. He could not be like Red; leaving the criminals alive despite the horrendous acts they had committed. To get rid of a killer, he had to be a killer.

 

But, Frank Castle was not a bad guy. That was what stopped him that night from leaving. It was past one in the morning. It had weighed heavy on his brain and in a brash act, he had started packing a duffel bag. It was for the best, he kept telling himself. It was for Maria and the kids, he assured his cowardly brain. As if the devil was on his shoulder telling him it was the right thing to do, when he knew his deceased wife would smack him across the face if she could.

 

Staying was for Lexi. Staying was for himself. Because as he grabbed the duffel bag and got ready to wake his dog, he looked back at the room he had been staying in and felt it. Felt like utter shit. That wasn’t him. He wouldn’t abandon her. Not because he felt guilty. Not because she was carrying his child. But, because he didn’t want to. He didn’t want to leave  _ her.  _

 

As much as that terrified him, Frank placed his bag down and took off his shoes. Lexi was sleeping in the bed, curled up on the side and sound asleep. The Punisher crawled in from behind and brought the woman into his hard body. She barely stirred, but his hand immediately went to her stomach. Because, he was having another baby and he was going to be there for it. Because it was what he and Maria would have wanted.

* * *

  
  


“You were going to leave last night.”

 

Lexi brought up the elephant in the room at breakfast that morning. Black coffee was on the pot and she had been disgruntled at the idea of decaf. So had he, but he decided in comradery that he’d drink that shit too. It wouldn’t be an all the time thing - he survived pretty much on stale coffee to do his job.

 

Frank wasn’t going to lie. He took a sip of his coffee and agreed, “Yea, stopped though. I’m an asshole.”

 

“You are,” Lexi then smirked, “You’re also the man who just found out he knocked up a woman who never thought she’d be pregnant. Oh and did we mention you’re the Punisher?”

 

“Someone’s feeling snarky today.”

 

Lexi’s lips tugged into another smirk when she saw a small one on Frank’s mouth, reaching over to grab a piece of toast, “Do you resent me?”

 

It was at that that Frank’s eyebrows pushed inwards. His nose scrunched and his upper lip quirked upwards. Then shaking his head, he reassured, “No...no, I don’t. Lexi, this is inconvenient. It’s not part of any plan I ever had...but...fuck, I appreciate you. You know...everything you do. How patient you are. You know.”

 

A smile formed on her mouth, reaching over to hold his hand gently and nod. They didn’t need to say anything. Instead, Lexi took another sip of her coffee before getting up and moving around the table they were sitting at. Things were still confusing. One moment they were simply trying to figure out how to have sex without it practically killing them and now, they were talking about pregnancy.

 

Lexi leaned over and kissed Frank’s cheek, moving back while informing him, “I’m going to go to the gallery today. I want you to know, I appreciate you as well. I did a lot for you, but you did a lot for me. You killed my husband. Gave me a friend. Got me to quit using drugs. So, don’t think too hardly about yourself, Frank Castle.”

 

“Yea...guess you’re right. I probably still am though.”

 

“I’m sure.” Lexi smirked, before turning to leave for the day.

* * *

 

For the most part of the day, Frank drank some beer and decided to take a break from work. There was shit that needed to get done. There was a part of him that told him to keep on being the Punisher. That was important. It was his duty to rid the city of all the assholes and corrupt evil occupied on the island.

 

Frank Castle seemed to be popping out, because he knew this was important. Thinking about Lexi, about the potential of having another child. These were priorities that needed to get sorted out. When he was married, before his last tour; Maria and the kids were the most crucial components in his life. And he felt he needed to stop neglecting the fact that the woman he lived with was a different kind of important, but important all the same.

 

“I’m kind of feeling like my old self,” Frank stated when Lexi walked through the door, “Don’t know if that’s such a good thing.”

 

Mindlessly running her fingers through his hair, standing behind him while he sat on the couch; Lexi mused, “What was the Punisher like as a kid?”

 

“I had big ears.”

 

“You still do.”

 

_ Bitch,  _ he said in his mind, as Lexi walked around and he gently caught her wrist, “Guess you’re feeling like you’re old self as well.”

 

For some reason, it felt so natural for him to be pulling her into his lap and bury his face within her chest. Lexi massaged his scalp gently, humming as she situated her legs to straddle his large lap. Nothing felt sexual; instead comforting. Frank had forgotten how much he missed a sincere, gentle touch.

 

“What happens when people ask who the father is?”

 

Lexi shrugged, “I don’t have any friends, remember? And if anyone does ask, well, everyone knows I’m promiscuous.”

 

A small snort and Frank was nodding his head. He must have zoned out, because he hardly noticed his chin being guided so his lips could meet hers. Even though prior experiences before ended with him claiming he’d never do such a thing again, the current moment felt different. Perhaps, even more different than the kiss they shared in the shower. Their first kiss. 

 

There wasn’t an overwhelming need to pull away from the woman’s lips. Nor did he want to aggressively attack her to the point of hurting her. Rather, Frank reached up to hold the back of Lexi’s head and moved his mouth along with hers. Slowly, as if getting to know each other. This was another first for them.

 

As their symbiotically moved together, Lexi shifted to undo his belt buckle. At the same time, Frank’s hand made its way up her shirt, grasping gently at the breasts he had previously bruised. Everything was more passionate, removing bits of clothes without tearing the fabric apart. Kissing without drawing blood. It was just as pleasurable and was leaving the Punisher with a clean conscious. 

 

Lexi tossed aside her bra, her breasts covered with Frank’s hands as he lifted his hips to allow the former drug addict to pull his pants down slightly. With the man’s large arm coming around to pull her in, his full lips moved to start kissing at the skin of her neck - causing the woman to moan sensually and her now wet core to grind against his large bulge.

 

“Do you want this?” Lexi whispered, her eyes closed as Frank pulled her skimpy panties aside - a finger teasing her soft folds.

 

“Do you? After all the shit I said?”

 

There was a moment, where the two looked in each other’s eyes. Neither speaking a word, just already knowing the answer. Lexi tugged his underwear down, so Frank’s large girth could spring out. With a firm grasp, she made sure to stand his impressive length up, slowly lowering herself down onto the tip.

 

It was a different sensation, now that Frank’s cock wasn’t slamming mercilessly into Lexi’s womanhood. With a slower, smoother ride, the older man was forced to really think. To assess the feel of every inch being stuffed into the tight entrance. His eyes had no choice, but to watch as she swallowed him whole - her clit swollen. Somehow, this felt right. He enjoyed watching what was happening, instead of feeling guilty for it.

 

“Frank?”

 

“I’m okay,” He gently grunted, taking her hips and slowly moving his hips while kissing her, “I’m okay.”

 

Nodding, Lexi began working her hips so that his length was moved in and out of her wet, tight sex. Though she still felt the pressure of his cock pressing against her cervix, it was in a much more passionate and conjoined effort. Two people worked at bringing the both of them to pleasure, rather than one leading an assault. Not that she had minded them - she hadn’t lied to Frank Castle she told him she enjoyed those times.

 

Frank’s thumb moved down to Lexi’s clit, pressing down on the swollen nub and working on it while the two continued to bounce against each other. The man’s eyes were closed, but he held on tightly to her. As if she was his lifeline and in a way, she needed this two. Lexi rested her forehead against his shoulder and moaned with each buck.

 

Frank’s next action surprised Lexi. As the two picked up their pace, the older man’s fingers on his other hand sprawled out over the still flat stomach. The gesture, caused her to slow her thrusting down. Confused, Frank whispered, “What’s wrong?”

 

“I am...aren’t I?” Lexi asked. Not able to really utter the words. If she was being honest, her eyes had even become a little misty. Lexi Sincerbeaux never cried and though no tears fell, Frank saw there was an emotion she was experiencing perhaps, for the first time.

 

And rather than feel guilty about it, Frank brought her in and moved his hips gently. Wanting to show her, that yes, it would be okay. The merging of two bodies was enough to bring both to orgasm. The tightening of Lexi’s womanhood squeezed out the man’s climax - both riding it out until she had milked him for everything he had.

 

“That was sappy, wasn’t it?” Lexi smirked softly, leaning in to kiss the Punisher and perhaps, to make light of the intense situation presented to them.

 

“Yea...it was. Maybe we both needed that though.”

 

After a moment, Lexi stroked Frank’s face and started to pull off. It was the first time the two had had sex and he hadn’t felt like complete shit afterwards. There weren’t any bruises on the tan woman and no profanities had been uttered. Perhaps, it had been something akin to making love, though; he was sure that admitting that would be too much. Baby steps…

 

“What were you like as a kid?” Frank snapped out of his daze and asked; just in time for Lexi to be walking back in with a silk robe on.

 

Bossman finally trotted over, as if knowing that the two were done and he could finally lay by his owner’s feet. Frank could see Lexi struggling for a moment, as if wanting a cigarette after fucking. Grinding her teeth, she straightened her shoulders and sat on the coffee table while crossing her legs, “A pain in the ass.”

 

“No, really.”

 

With a small, sultry smile, Lexi shrugged, “When I was a child, I used to eat crayons. After a while, my mother couldn’t buy me them anymore, because I’d never color with them - she’d find all of them at least half eaten.”

 

Snorting, Frank playfully smirked, “So, you were always putting strange shit in your mouth.”

 

“And your ears are still big.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, this chapter was a little mushier than I expect xD Sorry!!


	13. Chapter Thirteen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Here it is. The last chapter. This is bittersweet, because I love writing Frank and Lexi. I cannot say that I won't write a sequel. I very well may. Especially with the Defenders coming out and of course, when the Punisher series comes out. And I always like writing break away one-shots, so I might do that. As I said previously, I like short stories that can tell the tale, without fillers. I wanted everything to be a circle. Especially with them. Please let me know what you think!

“What do you think of these? They seem alright to you?”

 

Lexi was slipping on a thin, short trench coat as she watched Frank look down at the bouquet of flowers in his hands as if it was some mutant creature. To be fair, for a man who was used to holding machine guns and sharp knives, something as dainty as an assortment of flowers probably was foreign to him.

 

Tying the belt around her waist, Lexi’s heels clicked as she crossed the room and crouched down in front of his position on the couch, “They’re beautiful.”

 

As if knowing he was stressing over something small, Frank sucked in a deep breath and nodded. He stood up and shrugged his own coat on. It was getting chilly. Not too much. Only about two weeks had passed, not enough time for Lexi to begin showing. Enough time, though; to break away from shorts weather.

 

Not that the Punisher wore shorts.

 

Pausing, Frank turned his head in Lexi’s direction, “You sure you want to do this?”

 

“You need to do this, Frank.”

 

Frank nodded. She was right. Grabbing the flowers, he patted his dog’s head and held the door open for his companion. In a way, she had looked even better having quit smoking. Of course he knew it frustrated her to not have a cigarette every day; she had been a regular smoker for years. But, he believed being pregnant outweighed that for her, having fully realized that she was going to have a child.

* * *

 

There was a slight breeze. Just enough to gently brush the hair, but not to make a fool out of you. It made sense that there would be almost an eerie aura to a cemetery. It set the tone well. To be standing a field of tombstones and caskets underground that contained the bodies of loved ones. Some, never visited at all.

 

That had been Maria and the kids. Lexi wasn’t sure why she hadn’t thought of the fact that Frank’s fallen family would have been buried. Everything had been so covered up around the Castle family tragedy that she wouldn’t have been surprised if they didn’t have graves. The DA was so desperate to make sure everything surrounding that incident was swept under the rug.

 

It had been two years since the wife and children were slain. Two years and Frank hadn’t visited them once. He couldn’t. Not when there had been work to do. The marine couldn’t go into that dark frame of mind needed to slaughter the men responsible for the deaths. Even in death, he couldn’t bring that home to them.

 

Everything felt so real. It was different, not having his wife and children in front of him in person. Even with his brain all fucked up, Frank could still remember their faces, even if at times they were fuzzy. Now...now he just stared at a slab of stone that had their names on it. There was no one to look at, just a rock.

 

Lexi was silent, as Frank slowly crouched down. He looked at the tombstone blankly, before slowly setting the flowers down. All he could do, was hang his head down and hold his forehead. Maria. His beautiful Maria. Underneath all this grass and dirt were the decomposing corpses of his family. A family that was only in their predicament because of some bullshit between him and the colonel.

 

Taking in a deep large, Frank finally reached out and touched the tombstone. It was heartbreaking to see. Lexi stood still, watching as the Punisher came to terms with finally seeing the grave of his wife and children. She knew how badly he wanted to cry, but she also knew that he was trying to stay strong for Maria.

 

Finally looking back up, Frank slowly croaked out, “M...Maria...Lisa...Frank Jr...it’s been a while...been a real long while...I’m….I’m sorry I didn’t come sooner. I had some shit...sorry...had some things I needed to tend to...but, I’m here now. I’ll visit more…” Tears in his eyes, he looked away, “There ain’t a day that goes by that I don’t think of you...how I should have done more...could have done more...I...I heard the…”

 

“Frank.” Lexi gently whispered, not wanting Frank to go down that road.

 

Nodding, Frank cleared his throat and stood up, “This is Lexi...she’s...well, she’s a pain in my ass, Maria,” Lexi snickered, “You would like her...she’s done a lot...that I couldn’t do, in this past year. I guess...I need her, but I think she needs me too. Been through a lot and...she’s real important to me. I hope...you can understand that.”

 

Frank worked his jaw and continued, “I didn’t intend it...neither of us did, but she’s having a baby. My...baby...and I’m gonna be there for her...Lisa...Frank Jr...you’re gonna have...a brother or sister,” Looking over to Lexi, he added, “But, Maria, I’d be here with Lexi...even if she wasn’t pregnant.”

 

Lexi smiled, feeling a some sort of calm in the presence of Maria. Personally, she didn’t know how to feel. When Frank had went to her with the prospect of visiting the graves, she understood. It was something that needed to be done and she was glad he was finally doing it. This was important.

 

Head hanging down, Frank added, “I love you, Maria, I...god, I love you more than...I would do  _ anything  _ to have you here again...I...I just hope...wherever you are...you’re not in pain...you and the kids...just want you to know that I love you.”

 

Lexi squeezed her eyes shut. In the middle of Frank’s proclamation of love to his deceased wife, she felt a sharp pain in her lower back. Not too much unlike a menstruation cramp, only amplified. She didn’t want to make a big deal over it. Especially with the grieving widow standing above Maria’s grave. It would be selfish.

 

An audible hiss tugged at Frank’s attention, as he furrowed his eyebrows in and asked, “You alright?”

 

“I’m fine.” Lexi painfully stretched out, not wanting to at all be the center of attention in that moment.

 

For some reason, Frank’s eyes averted down to the beige stretch pants she was wearing. Furrowing his eyebrows in, he had to swallow back his dread and pointed out, “You’re bleeding, Lexi.”

 

Her heart dropped. Looking down, Lexi noticed Frank was telling the truth. Sucking in a deep breath, Lexi walked over and touch Maria’s tombstone before looking back at the large man, “I believe I need to go to the hospital.” 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope that wasn't too open ended for you guy! I wanted sadness, of course, acceptance, and I wanted to end it with a little drama for you guys to decided what you think happened next. Love you all!!


End file.
